LASU VC selection: We have no vested interest in any candidate – ASUU

 

BY FOLASHADE SHIYANBOLA

THE Academic Staff Union of Universities, Lagos State University, Ojo branch, has said the union has no vested interest in any candidate contesting the position of the Vice-Chancellor of the university.

In a statement, signed by the Chairman of the Union, Ibrahim Bakare; and Secretary, Slyvester Idowu, the union dissociated itself from a statement by two ex-staff of the institution, asking the Chairman of Council, Prof. Adebayo Ninalowo, to step down as the Chairman of the committee for the selection of the new VC.

“ASUU-LASU wishes to reiterate its earlier stance that it had no vested interest in any candidate that contested in the past exercise and does not intend to have any candidate in the fresh exercise,” the statement said.

Recall that the 8th substantive Vice-Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Olanrewaju Fagbohun, left office on Monday, 11th of January, after his five-year tenure as VC.

The initial process towards the selection of the new Vice-Chancellor for the institution had been cancelled by the Governor and Visitor to the university, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, owing to various petitions against the selection process.

The union, however, said, as critical stakeholders in the university, their prayer to the selection committee and the Governor and Visitor to the university was to kindly appoint whoever emerged the best at the end of the process.

The statement said, “We wish to recall that it was the 10th Governing Council of the university, chaired by Prof. Adebayo Ninalowo, that produced the outgoing Distinguished Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Olanrewaju Fagbohun, who emerged first on the list of the best three presented to the then Governor.

“The outstanding performance of the outgoing Vice-Chancellor is enough to vindicate our judgement that whoever emerges first among the contenders should be appointed.”

The union reiterated its trust and confidence in the professionals and academics of high repute constituted in the selection committee.

“We have no doubt that the outcome of the fresh process would, once again, bring about the best candidate that all stakeholders within and outside the Lagos State University, and indeed Nigeria, will be proud of,” it said.