By Joseph Edegbo –
The Academic Staff Union of Universities, (ASUU) of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) has distanced itself from a statement questioning the appointment of Adenike Temidayo Oladiji as the eighth substantive VC of the institution.
Some concerned members had kicked against the appointment of the VC.
However in a statement signed by the Chairman of ASUU-FUTA, Oluyinka Awopetu said those behind the publications are not members of the Executive of the ASUU-FUTA branch and cannot speak for the union.
According to him, only the branch chairperson and secretary are duly authorized to speak on such issues saying that the two Professors who are behind the report are not members of the Executive of the ASUU-FUTA branch.
Awopetu said in the statement that “The attention of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, Federal University of Technology, Akure (ASUU-FUTA), has been drawn to publications in online news media platforms, circulating since Thursday 19th May 2022, on the appointment of the new Vice-Chancellor for the University.
These publications largely titled “FUTA VC: ASUU SAYS APPOINTMENT FRAUGHT WITH FRAUD, LACKS TRANSPARENCY” never originated from ASUU-FUTA Secretariat and as such the union refutes such and calls on all media platforms that circulated such stories to retract them immediately to avoid other consequences.
“The said publication was signed, according to the reports, by two Professors who are not members of the Executive of our branch.
“The two have no rights, neither were they authorized and are in no capacity to speak for and on behalf of ASUU-FUTA.
“All communications from the branch are duly released by the branch chairperson and secretary only.”
He said further, “Similarly, in other publications, we learnt of a purported position of FUTA Senate. As it is, the nation is aware of the ongoing total and comprehensive strike action which in part does not allow any meeting to hold.
“It was thus an embarrassment that our members were purported to have held a Senate meeting. To the best of our knowledge and all facts on ground, no Senate meeting was held at our University to pursue this position.
“The Union is currently reviewing the process of the appointment of the Vice-Chancellor following the due procedure laid down for the consumption of our members to avoid any form of misrepresentation.
“The Union has the full capacity to deal with this event in deciding what course of action to take should the need arise.”
He, however, said “ASUU-FUTA, by this statement, is calling on members of the Union and the general public to disregard the statement in its entity as this is not the position of ASUU-FUTA
“ASUU is a union of intellectuals and will not result to any act that can mislead the public.”
