On Thursday morning, the controversy shrouding the processes for the selection of the next Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ibadan festered as the UI chapter of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities called for the cancellation of the process describing the E-voting the institution plans to use as a façade.
The controversies, OYOINSIGHT.COM understands, started festering following the conduction the election to pick two members of the senate selection committee charged with the appointment of the next Vice-Chancellor.
This election, which was held electronically, was trailed by series of allegations about its integrity. Two of the candidates who participated in the process also petitioned the chairman of the governing council. Citing various reasons ranging from fraudulent malpractices to lack of transparency, they called for the immediate cancellation of the election and the conduct of a fresh one.
In a letter to the Governing council chairman signed by the Chairman and Secretary of SSANU in the institution, Mr. S.A. Akinremi and Mr. A.R. Omisore, the union expressed its displeasure about the process.
“The appointment of the Vice Chancellor of University of Ibadan is a global agenda that requires utmost rectitude, sincerity of purpose, transparency and due diligence. It is a process that must be devoid of undue interference, prejudices and politicking. Rather, if there must be politicking of any nature, it must be realpolitik, impactful and driven by merit and fair-play. The prime purpose should be based on how to reposition the University to further achieve its goals and effectively confront the challenges of global socio-political economy. It is however unfortunate that the whole process complete travesty and sham, stage-managed and predetermined to foist the old order on the entire University Community.
“A lot of chicancery, ethnic prejudices, sectarianism, etc have taken the centre stage in the process. Consequently, there is a dangerous disquiet while the silent majority are rooting for a face-off. It is common place that the Vice-Chancellor, Professor A. I. Olayinka is strongly supporting one of the candidates. There is no doubt that he has the inalienable right but in the circumstance, one would expect that he would maintain a honourable distance from the process as the father of the community,” the union’s letter read in part.
They also noted that even though they are not opposed to the emergence of any of the candidates, they are not in support of a process tainted with irregularities and manipulations.
“The E-voting as it were in the University of Ibadan is a façade. There is need for an independent handling of the process, away from the current gladiators for us to have a fair and acceptable result,” they added.
