Gbenro Adesina
The Joint Action Congress (JAC) of the University of Ibadan (UI) chapter, comprising the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU), has resolved that the process of electing the 13th Vice Chancellor of the Premier institution, which was disrupted on Wednesday October 28, 2020, be continued.
According to the highlights of the JAC’s Congress held on Monday November 2, 2020, the congress acknowledged that the non-academic staff have no right to disqualify or recommend candidates for the selection of the Institution’s Vice Chancellor.
It will be recalled that on Wednesday October 28, 2020, members of the non-academic staff led by the SSANU Chairman, Wale Akinremi, protested against the candidature of the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Admin), Professor Kayode Adebowale and the former Vice Chancellor, Adekunle Ajasin University, (AAU), Akungba, Ondo State, Professor Olufemi Mimiko, demanding that they should be disqualified from the race, and insisted that the selection process should be started afresh.
The protesting staff wanted the duo to be disqualified from the VC’s race because they felt that Adebowale will be an extension of the administration of the outgoing Vice Chancellor, Professor Abel Idowu Olayinka and Mimiko was accused of being an anti-workers’ Vice Chancellor, when he was the VC of AAU.
At the end of the Congress, JAC said, “The congress acknowledged that we have no right to disqualify/recommend candidates for the selection of Vice Chancellor”.
The congress further agreed, “That the selection process should continue but insisted that it must be fair to all candidates and stakeholders”.
“It further stated that whatever happens thereafter about the character of whoever emerges as the VC especially, if he turns out despotic, will vindicate their earlier opposing views/action, which would be on record”, JAC added.
The Congress pointed out, “That our priority now is how to get our legitimate demands addressed within a week. JAC congress obliged to open Bursary and Establishment section in order to facilitate our demands”.
The congress affirmed that the local strike embarked upon by all the unions on campus should be continued until their demands were met.
