The All Progressives Congress in Oyo state has faulted state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over an alleged shameless attempt to mislead the public on the decision of the National University Commission (NUC) to cede the full control of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, LAUTECH, Ogbomoso to Oyo state government.
The NUC, had on Friday, announced that the joint ownership of the 30 year-old Ivory Tower had ceased to be following a mutual agreement between the two states who were hitherto responsible for its funding and management.
It is recalled that the University was founded by the military government of the old Oyo state in 1990 while Osun state was carved out of Oyo in 1991 but the Institution was not among the assets shared between the two states as at that time.
Meanwhile, agitation for ceding of the University to Oyo state began to gain momentum from a section of the state when Osun state established its own state University in December 2006 and the then administration of Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola made a multi campus institution. The call was heightened recently when funding became an issue for the Institution even though governments of the two owner states blamed poor utilization of resources by the school management for this.
In a statement issued at the weekend and made available to journalists in Ibadan by its Assistant Publicity Secretary, Prince Ayobami Adejumo, Oyo APC described the NUC’s proclamation as a welcome development even as the party cautioned that “it ought not to be celebrated by any reasonable person, group or government in view of its unpleasant implications which could be understood by only discerning minds.
“We received the news from the NUC with mixed feelings; on one hand, it could address the issues of buck passing and under funding of the great academic institution but on the other hand, the development underscore the fact that a lot still has to be done to entrench unity, love and brotherliness among the peoples of Oyo and Osun states who have just demonstrated lack of trust and cooperation amongst them over this LAUTECH issue.
“As a matter of fact, Gov. Makinde or Oyo PDP did nothing to actualize the sole ownership desire as what happened last Friday was the completion of a process started by a former governor of the state, Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala whose people in Ogbomoso pressurized to pursue the goal for obvious reasons. Late Senator Abiola Ajimobi who governed the state between 2011 and 2019 could not have toed the same line because he probably felt it was reasonable for LAUTECH to remain a joint heritage of Oyo and Osun states.
“Meanwhile, it is a height of insincerity and immorality for Gov. Makinde and his lackeys to embark on any celebration over the termination of joint ownership of LAUTECH between the two brother states during his own time. And if anything, Gov. Gboyega Oyetola of Osun state deserves kudos for being magnanimous enough to let go since there are no indication that Oyo state government paid any compensation for taking what is seemingly a greater share from the facilities.
“A snap check with NUC would reveal that Makinde did nothing concrete or special to claim the University from Osun as what essentially worked in favour of the Pacesetters state was the location of the University on its soil in Ogbomoso while Osun also claimed the Teaching Hospital located in its own state capital – Osogbo. We, therefore, challenge Gov. Makinde to make public his strategy deployed to defeat Osun state in the last 18 months as he now claims through his bootlickers.
“It is worthy of note that Gov. Makinde would only make a hero if he could replicate the magic which produced LAUTECH in its early days or the one that manifested the first Technical University in Nigeria. And as the whole world waits patiently for the aftermath of the dramatic cutting of ties between two brother states, we urge Oyo state government to take full advantage of whatever opportunity available to them and ensure that the University does not suffer on account of fake promises which is the pastime of the current PDP administration”, APC submitted.
