Gbenro Adesina
The Senate members of the University of Ibadan (UI) today, Wednesday November 25, 2020, conducted a re-election to elect two of their members as Senate representatives on the Joint Council and Senate Selection Board for the appointment of Vice Chancellor.
This was in line with the directive of the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, to conduct a fresh election due to the controversies that trailed the previous election of September 21, 2020.
The election did not go without drama as members of the institution’s non-academic staff, under the auspices of Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and Non Academic Staff Union (NASU), stormed Trenchard Hall, venue of the election to disrupt the process that was already under way.
They manhandled some academic staff who wanted to prevent them from entering the Hall, despite the presence of security operatives at the venue to ensure that the election was hitch free.
However, with the intervention of the security operatives, reasons prevailed and the non-academic staff left the venue and the election continued.
Three of the initial nine candidates contested the election, while the remaining six stepped down for various reasons. The three contestants are: Professors Peter Olapegba, Ezekiel Ayoola and Akinsola.
Total votes cast were 313, with three voided votes.
Olapegba scored 302, Ayoola scored 299 and Akinsola scored 17.
Consequently, the Deputy Registrar, Mrs. Morenike A. Afolabi declared Olapegba and Ayoola winners of the election.
The Decision Extracts from the Special meeting of Senate sighted by PrimeStarNews read:
“At the end of collation of votes cast, the Registrar announced the results as follows:
“Total Votes Cast – 313
“Void Votes – 3
“Valid Votes – 310.
“Professor M. K. Akinsola, Department of Science & Technology Education, 17 votes
“Professor E. O. Ayoola, Department of Mathematics, 299 votes
“Professor P. O. Olapegba, Department of Psychology, 302 votes
“Consequently, Professor P. O. Olapegba of the Department of Psychology and Professor E. O. Ayoola of the Department of Mathematics were duly elected as the Senate Representatives on the Selection Board for the appointment of Vice Chancellor”.
Prior to the announcement of the results of the election, technical issue was raised with the aim of attempting to make the process inconclusive.
Some members of the Council argued for the entire process to be restarted. This position did not receive the endorsement of the Pro-Chancellor/Chairman Governing Council, Nde Joshua Mutka Waklek, who appealed at that point to all the stakeholders to allow peace to reign because in any contest, there must be a winner and there must be a loser.
PrimeStarNews learnt that this position did not go down well with some members of the Governing Council, who wanted the process to be aborted and they staged a walk out. The Council members were: the former ASUU Chairman, UI, Professors Ademola Aremu and Abel Olorunnisola, two external members appointed by the federal government, Dr Jaju Muhammad and Professor Mande Samaila.
The process of the appointment of the Vice Chancellor of the Premier University continues and the 13th Vice Chancellor of the Premier University may be announced tomorrow.
