The appointment process for the selection of the next vice chancellor has become tensed-up as 330 members of the university’s senate sat out the election held on Wednesday.
Report from OYOINSIGHT has it that the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, in a letter to the university governing council’s chairman, ordered the suspension of the ongoing selection process.
Rather than allow the Council to follow the Minister’s directive, the outgoing Vice chancellor, Prof Idowu Olayinka, ordered the election of two senate representative members during an emergency meeting on Tuesday evening.
OYOINSIGHT also learnt that Prof Olayinka’s action was against the required process as the directive was that the selection process should start all over again, with the Education Minister warning the VC that he should not interfere in the process over widespread allegations that he plans to impose his deputy, Prof Kayode Adebowale as his successor.
The election which was held yesterday at Trenchard hall where security was tightened suffered its first setback when four members of the governing council staged a walk out over its transparency.
The breakdown of the election obtained by OYOINSIGHT showed that 309 out of 639 members of the Senate voted which indicated that 330 senate did not vote.
The only three individuals—Professors Olapegba, Ayoola and Akinsola—who contested the two vacant selection committee seats and who have been alleged to be working as agents for Prof Olayinka polled 303, 299, and 17 votes respectively. A voter has two votes.
Despite the election of the two senate representatives, the selection process has suffered a setback.
In an internal memo circulated on Tuesday, there has been preparation to invite all aspirants for the VC position today (Thursday), but this has been postponed as the governing council has fixed its next general meeting for Monday, November 30th which coincidentally, is the last day in office for Prof Olayinka.
