The Federal Government on Thursday suspended the embattled Vice-Chancellor, Federal University of Technology, Akure, FUTA, Prof. Adebiyi Daramola and his counterpart at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, FUNAAB, Prof. Olusola Oyewole.
A letter signed by the Acting Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Dr. Hussaini Adamu, noted that the vice-chancellors were suspended in connection with their ongoing trial at the behest of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
They were instructed to handover to the most senior Deputy Vice-Chancellors of their respective institutions.
“Sequel to your arraignment before an Ogun State High Court on criminal charges, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Monday 24th November 2016, I am directed to convey the Honourable Minister’s approval to place you on suspension from office with immediate effect pending the determination of the court case against you in accordance with extant rules,” the letter reads.
“You are therefore, directed to hand over the affairs of your office to the most senior Deputy Vice Chancellor, in the University.”
The EFCC charged Oyewole alongside the former pro chancellor of the school, Adeseye Ogunewe, the bursar, Moses Ilesanmi, to court for alleged abuse of office and misappropriation of funds.
They were investigated after whistleblowers tipped off the anti-graft agency and accused the trio of suspicious dealings totaling N800 million.
The case is before Justice O.C Majekodunmi of the Ogun State High Court.
Daramola has a running battle with academic and non-academic members of staff of the university over mismanagement of funds. The unions had also urged the governing council of the university to remove Daramola from office.
Daramola, who had been arraigned by the EFCC, is due for retirement this month. In an earlier interview with our correspondent, he denied the allegations levelled against him.
“Essentially, what is responsible for this, between the management which I personify and the unions is that, unions usually want some of the resources meant for the development of the university to be given out to them as welfare packages under one guise or the other. On this, I am referring to the non-teaching unions asking for productivity allowance.
“Again, the unions try to resist developmental initiatives in the university. They will rather you spend the money on their welfare after collecting their salaries, to using it to develop infrastructure on the campus.
“A case in point is the number of projects that we have and the staff unions insisting that we give them 40 per cent of the Internally Generated Revenue as welfare. If we do that, the business of the university such as the maintenance of facilities, provision of power and even the construction of lecture theatres and other things will be grounded,” he had said.
While attempts to reach the Head, Information and Protocol Unit of FUTA, Adegbenro Adebanjo, to confirm the suspension were unsuccessful on Thursday, a statement by the Head, Directorate of Public Relations, FUNAAB, Mrs. Emi’ Alawode, neither affirmed nor denied the suspension.
“Consultations are in progress with the university administration on the true position of things, while a formal statement will be issued in due course. Meanwhile, all normal academic and administrative activities are ongoing unabated, in the university,’’ she said.
