Minister suspends VC, Registrar Of FUTA

There was spontaneous reaction yesterday over the suspension of the embattled Vice Chancellor (VC), Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) Prof. Adebiyi Daramola by the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu.

It was a moment of joy as FUTA campus was thrown into ecstasy with workers exchanging pleasantries on the development.

Prof Daramola was suspended alongside the Registrar, Mrs Modupe Ajayi.

The chairman of the Joint Action Committee JAC of the University and Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities SSANU ‎Dele Durojaiye confirmed the

suspension of the duo by the minister.

Durojaiye, however, said details of their suspension had not been communicated to them.

The VC and the Bursar, Emmanuel Oresegun have been dragged to court by the EFCC over alleged mismanagement of the institution funds.

They ‎were granted bail by the Akure High Court.The reason why the Registrar was suspended and not the bursar ‎with the VC remained unclear yesterday.

The Registrar is the Secretary of the University council and her five-year tenure was to lapse on May 31 before the ministers axe on Thursday.

Spokesman of the University Adebanjo Adegbenro said he has no ‎information to the effect that the two principal officers of the university have been suspended by the Minister for Education.

The Non- Teaching Staff Unions of the University called off their seven-month old industrial action on Tuesday.

The unions went on strike to protest the refusal of the federal government to sack of the  Prof  Daramola despite his case with EFCC.

‎They have since vowed not to resume work until he steps aside to clear himself of the allegations of mismanagement of the institution funds by the EFCC.

Besides, the leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU‎) ‎of the university insisted that the tenure of the embattled Vice Chancellor had lapsed‎.

However, the chairman of the Joint Action congress (JAC) of the institution, Dele Durojaiye acting on a verdict of the Industrial Court recalled the workers back to work.

According to Durojaye, the court had given an order that the striking workers should resume work within 24 hours.

He said the court equally‎ ordered the university Management to pay all outstanding salaries within 24 hours and that those whose appointments were terminated be reinstated forthwith.

Durojaiye in a directive to the union members urged members to resume work while they await the university to pay our salaries

On the tenure of the Vice Chancellor, the leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU‎) of the institution insisted that his tenure had since lapsed on May 9th and not may 23 this year as announced by the university Management.

In a letter forwarded to the VC, the union leader ‎said that his five-year single tenure ought to have lapsed on May 9.

They said‎“ Prof. Daramola “assumed office on the 10th May 2012; and as such his tenure should end on 9th May 2017.

The institution Registrar, Mrs Modupe Ajayi said the tenure of Prof Daramola ends on May 23, this year.

According to her, “While the Vice-Chancellor appreciates the concern of ASUU-FUTA leadership on this matter and has responded to provide the required information, it is considered expedient to bring this to the public domain and in particular to the members of the university community that the information making the rounds in some quarters within the campus that the Vice Chancellor, Prof Daramola, assumed office on the 10th May 2012; and as such his tenure should end on 9th May 2017 is absolutely incorrect.

“For the avoidance of doubt, this is to inform all members of staff, students and the entire members of the University Community that the Vice Chancellor, Prof Daramola assumed office on the 24th May 2012, the same day his inauguration took place.This implies that his five-year tenure will come to an end on 23rd May 2017“.

The University Management appealed to all staff, students and the entire members of the University Community to discountenance and ignore any action being orchestrated to cause a breach of peace and stability on the campus.