Group blames UI ex- VC, council for truncating selection process

It’s campaign of calumny by fictitious group, says Olayinka

AGROUP, the Coalition for Autonomy of Universities in Nigeria ( CAUN), has blamed the truncation of the process for selection of a substantive Vice Chancellor ( VC) for the University of Ibadan ( UI) on the immediate past VC, Prof. Abel Idowu Olayinka and the Governing Council of the university.

In a statement by its Co- ordinator, Olayemi Olaoluwa, the group wondered why the UI could be thrown into such a disgusting state despite its history of setting the pace in administrative wizardry.

According to it, there were allegations that Olayinka was the campaign manager of one of the candidates who was described as his ‘ anointed candidate’ vying for the position of the VC of the university, alleging that meetings of his campaign committee were allegedly held in the VC’S lodge.

It said: “There were petitions written by aggrieved contestants in the Senate election, for which the VC allegedly misguided the University Governing Council against serious review. Implicating text messages were flying around, yet, the council went on with the selection process as if it was normal.

“CAUN, therefore, supports government’s efforts at restoring the dignity of the University of Ibadan as long

Mas people are not allowed to meddle again in the selection process. We seek a transparent and credible process to select a VC that will be acceptable to the people, and one to restore past glory of the great institution.” EANWHILE, Olayinka has described the allegation as a campaign of calumny by a faceless and fictitious body that does not exist. He said that the campaign of calumny was laughable and that no attempt at character assassination could remove from this simple fact.

He said: “As you can imagine, this so- called Coalition for Autonomy of Universities in Nigeria is a fictitious outfit that, in all probability, is unregistered. In the same vein, you can Google its Coordinator, Olayemi Olaoluwa, if such a person exists.

“Nearly everything in the write- up is about the immediate past vice chancellor as to what he must have done as part of the selection process for his successor. It can easily be seen that it is all a campaign of calumny.

He, however, said that at the appropriate time, the Senate would speak on the matter. “At the appropriate time, the Senate of the university, which comprises no fewer than 500 full professors and some other 180 senior academics, will speak for itself on this matter,” he said.