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UNIOSUN: A War Between Integrity And Personal Vendetta | By Wale Alabi
The JAC branch of Osun State University recently published an article on Democracy Day of 2020 which tagged the Vice Chancellor of the school, Professor Labode Popoola as an autocrat that is running a corrupt administration.
This medley of confused human and disgruntled elements frivolously recounted their usual and unsubstantiated allegations in a hunt to tarnish the hard earned reputation of the Vice Chancellor and rubbish his efforts in putting the school in the front row alongside best universities in the continent of Africa.
In their tantrums, they did not even spare the Governing Council of the University, which has become a model for good university governance. When did it become part of unionism to insult and disparage senior citizens who have volunteered to serve as members of council of a university and giving their time and other resources to ensure progress for the university?
Followers of unfolding events at the university over the last six years would recall that Professor Labode Popoola came on board at a time the institution was bankrupt and in need of intensive care to survive. The institution had been morally, ethically and financially amputated before the current Governing Council and the VC came to its rescue. This VC of proven integrity and global renown clinically performed the necessary but painful surgeries which eventually blocked all leakages and stopped corrupt transactions that nearly suffocated the institution into extinction.
Just like it was contained in their previous petitions to the University Council, State House of Assembly, EFCC, ICPC, SERAP and other organisations where the Vice Chancellor was exonerated of any illicit acts or wrongdoings, it was alleged that the Vice Chancellor purchased a particular land for the university along Odi-Olowo Road, Osogbo a couple of years ago. The said land was purchased from the savings made from the proceeds of the Post-UTME in 2017, which in the past was shared and pocketed by some individuals in the university. The current VC stopped that fraud and invested the fund for the University.
Disappointedly, these myopic and frivolous elements deliberately refused to tell the few people who may read their trash how land in that area has economically appreciated in recent times, which in turn is advantageous to the university’s investment in that regard.
The JAC mischievously penned that a million naira was expended on the University’s guesthouse whereas, it was established that these same people were encouraging the payment nearly two Million Naira rent per annum apart from the huge maintenance cost on a property they were using like a brothel. Under the leadership of Professor Popoola, the school decided to move to a guesthouse, half the rent of the previous one.
Also, I was told by a reliable source inside the university that nearly 400 Million Naira was wasted on the laboratory the JAC people wanted their sympathizers to crucify Professor Popoola for. The structure constructed during 2013 to 2015 which they call Central Laboratory was not fit to keep even pigs. In less than two years of opening the laboratory, it was confirmed that the entire place became ramshackle, started falling apart table. Those fighting the recent change mantra accepted the trash handed over to them because they had colluded with the contractors and benefitted from the scam to the detriment of Nigeria’s tax payers.
“For the avoidance of doubts, that TETFund Project is now being rehabilitated into a modern and state of the art laboratory, but certainly not with N200m as the discredited JAC mischievously claimed.” The source emphasised.
It was authoritatively gathered that the school Council used its prerogative to request for a bank facility to build hostels that are urgently needed. Why should that be an issue?
It is pertinent that the society should not forget so soon that these brigands masquerading as unionists aborted the history making visit of the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Prof Yemi Osinbajo to UNIOSUN to deliver a convocation lecture in November, 2018
They (JAC) did everything within their means to abort the foundation laying of a 13 Billion Naira world class teaching hospital in November, 2018 by the Chancellor of the University, who doubles as the benefactor of the project.
They (JAC) locked out, and delayed the then visitor to the University, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola who was making his farewell visit to the university for over eight hours on the convocation day.
They (JAC) blocked the revered Chief Bisi Akande who was being conferred with a doctoral degree at UNIOSUN from entering the campus. Baba Slanderers was in company with the equally revered General Alani Akinrinade and Prof Olu Aina on that day. These eminent elders of Nigeria were humiliated by these brigands.
They (JAC) sent several traditional rulers and parents who had come to felicitate with celebrants away on the convocation day.
Nemesis only caught up with them and the police charged them to court. Rather than showing sobriety and remorse, they keep on fouling the air with lies and blackmails. This certainly cannot help them.
The society needs to ask why the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Labo Popoola has become their target?
Is it a sin that he has brought sanity to an institution that was always in the news for negative reasons?
Is it a sin that he compelled some of the union leaders and their accolades to refund over 20 million Naira of TETFund money taken for conferences they refused to attend for over two years?
Is it a sin that the VC has blocked internal collusion with contractors for inflated contracts and substandard service delivery?
Is it a sin that he is entrenching and enforcing institutional discipline and academic culture?
None of his policies has negatively affected the institution or hinder its development, but rather enhancing the University’s reputation.
It would interest Nigerians to know that the discredited union brigands and their rogue accolades are only bemoaning the blocking of leakages by the VC. Without their usual knees on the school’s neck, the university is now breathing fresh air and is gradually becoming a model of what a university should be in Nigeria.
Instead of the so-called JAC and their coconspirators to repent, seek forgiveness, re-align with decency and allow free flow of prudent operations, they continue to unjustly attack the personality of the Vice Chancellor.
In my considered opinion, I think it’s high time the society called these brigands to order. This is purely a battle between proven integrity and personal vendetta. It is evident that UNIOSUN JAC doesn’t have the interest of the university at heart.
Wale Alabi writes from Osogbo, Osun state
Ahead of the 2027 general elections, the national leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Tuesday held a high-level strategic meeting with the Oyo State chapter of the party as part of efforts to reposition the APC for victory and prevent internal crisis ahead of the polls.
The development was first scooped by OYOINSIGHT.COM which quoted multiple party sources familiar with the closed-door deliberations.
Sources disclosed that the meeting, held in Abuja, focused largely on a consensus arrangement being considered by stakeholders of the party in Oyo State, in line with political templates reportedly being adopted in Lagos and Ogun states ahead of the next electoral cycle.
Party insiders said the move was aimed at strengthening unity within the fold of the opposition party in the state, minimising rancour during the primaries and presenting a formidable front against rival parties in 2027.
It was further gathered that some members of the state executive committee may have been subtly informed about preferred consensus candidates being considered for elective positions across the state.
Though details of the deliberations were still sketchy as of press time, sources hinted that the national leadership stressed the need for cohesion, discipline and strategic alignment among stakeholders to improve the party’s electoral fortunes in Oyo.
Those at the meeting included the Oyo APC Chairman, Moses Alake Adeyemo; the state secretary, Fatai Adesina Adeniyi; the Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare; the Organising Secretary, Aderemi Adepoju; and the Legal Adviser, Sunday Aborisade.
Others were the Women Leader, Adekemi Opatunde; the Youth Leader, Olalekan Oladejo; Joshua Oyebamiji; Tunde Oloyede; Sunday Babalola; Joseph Omoniyi; and Mojeed Adebayo.
As of the time of filing this report, the party had yet to issue an official statement on the outcome of the meeting.
The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State, Chief Moses Alake Adeyemo, on Monday assured aspirants and party members that the party would conduct transparent, peaceful and credible direct primaries ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Adeyemo declared that no aspirant would be victimised or denied a level playing field, stressing that the party leadership remained committed to internal democracy and progressive ideals.
The former deputy governor spoke while receiving members of the APC Screening and Appeal Committees deployed from the party’s National Secretariat in Abuja at the APC Secretariat in Oke-Ado, Ibadan.
He disclosed that although the party initially explored consensus arrangements across elective positions, prevailing realities indicated that direct primaries would be conducted in some areas, including the governorship contest.
Adeyemo said the party had already put necessary structures in place to ensure a hitch-free exercise capable of strengthening unity within the APC.
He said: “We set machineries in motion for us to achieve the aim of consensus across board but reports available to me indicate that we would have to go by the second option which is direct primary in certain cases including the governorship ticket.
“To this end, we shall work towards organising free, fair and credible exercise in all the affected areas even as we cannot rule out the possibility of some aspirants having a rethink and supporting the consensus arrangement as necessary.
“Where we have more than an aspirant, Abuja would send people to conduct primaries and we at the state level would provide the required support to make everything work out in the interest of our great party.”
The APC chairman explained that all registered party members would participate fully in the exercise at their respective wards on dates to be announced by the National Secretariat.
According to him, affirmation would be adopted in areas where consensus candidates emerge, while voting would be conducted wherever direct primaries become necessary.
“For consensus, members will lend their voices for affirmation while voting will be done in the cases of direct primary,” he added.
Speaking earlier, Chairman of the Screening Committee and former Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Taofiq AbdusSalam, assured party faithful that the committee would carry out a thorough, transparent and unbiased screening process.
He said only eligible aspirants would be cleared to participate in the primaries and eventually fly the APC flag in the forthcoming elections.
Other members of the Screening Committee are Kamal Sanusi (Secretary), Smart Oluwole, Tunde Kolade and Olabamiji Agunloye.
Members of the Screening Appeal Committee are Jibola Oduwole (Chairman), Abimbola Jack (Secretary) and Jelil Jimoh.
The Nigeria Democratic Congress on Saturday zoned its 2027 presidential ticket to Southern Nigeria, declaring that the party’s candidate would serve a single four-year term if elected.
The decision was reached during the party’s national convention held in Abuja amid growing momentum within the opposition platform following a wave of high-profile defections from other political parties.
Announcing the development on its official social media handle, the party stated, “NDC presidential ticket is zoned to the South!!”
The party also resolved that its 2031 presidential ticket would be ceded to Northern Nigeria as part of efforts to maintain regional balance and internal equity.
The convention comes as key opposition figures, including former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and former New Nigeria People’s Party presidential candidate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, joined party leaders and delegates at the Abuja gathering.
Saturday’s convention is expected to ratify several recent decisions taken by the party’s National Executive Committee, including zoning arrangements, amendments to the party constitution, and the election of new national executives.
According to the convention agenda obtained by journalists, discussions centred on zoning, ratification of the amended constitution, and leadership restructuring ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The NDC has in recent weeks witnessed a surge in defections from rival opposition parties, particularly the African Democratic Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party.
On Tuesday, no fewer than 17 members of the House of Representatives defected from the ADC to the NDC.
Their defections were formally announced during plenary at the House of Representatives.
The lawmakers include Yusuf Datti, Uchenna Okonkwo, Adamu Wakili, Thaddeus Attah, George Ozodinobi, Lilian Orogbu, Oluwaseyi Sowunmi, Peter Aniekwe, Mukhtar Zakari, George Oluwande and Munachim Umezuruike.
Others are Emeka Idu, Jesse Onuakalusi, Ifeanyi Uzokwe, Afam Ogene, Murphy Omoruyi and Abdulhakeem Ado.
The defections came barely two days after Obi and Kwankwaso formally joined the NDC from the ADC.
The duo were presented with the party’s membership cards last Sunday shortly after a closed-door meeting with party leaders.
A former Governor of Bayelsa State and NDC national leader, Seriake Dickson, officially welcomed the opposition figures into the party.
Obi had attributed his exit from the ADC to worsening internal crises, external interference and what he described as increasing hostility within party structures.
The former Anambra State governor said Nigeria’s political environment had become increasingly toxic, marked by intimidation, insecurity and sustained scrutiny of opposition figures.
He also lamented that institutions meant to protect citizens were now often deployed against them, while individuals committed to genuine public service faced mounting pressure both publicly and privately.
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