Workers threaten to disrupt FUTA convocation

The Joint Action Congress of the Federal University of Technology, Akure, FUTA, has threatened to unleash mayhem at the institution’s 28th convocation beginning on Monday if the Vice Chancellor, Adebiyi Daramola, chairs the occasion.

The professor is currently facing a 9-count charge of corruption at the Ondo State High court at the instance of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

The school had been embroiled in a crisis between the staff unions and the leadership of the institution since the sacking of teachers in the institution’s staff school.

Agitations of the unions against the Vice Chancellor led to the temporary closure of the school, and the intervention of the police.

The Chairman of the JAC, Dele Durojaye, declared on Friday that the convocation would be disrupted by members of the union if Mr. Daramola chairs the ceremony.

“The constitution of this country tells us who is a public officer, if a public officer is standing trial for criminal charges in court and still remains in office, it is an aberration, it will never happen in FUTA,” Durojaye said.

“For a public officer who facing criminal charges to chair a convocation. It will never happen.”

“That is why we are telling the security agencies to be prepared for war in FUTA from Monday, we will not take it.

“Nobody can rewrite the constitution of this country, that is why we are sensitive our people, the impunity in FUTA is too much,” Mr. Durojaiye said.

He noted that there is a subsisting court order stopping the process of selecting a new VC, but the school’s management is going ahead in spite of the order.

He said if the vice chancellor stays away from the convocation, there would be no problem, but if he turns up as chairman of the convocation, there would be trouble.

“He should be on suspension indefinitely and should not be in office. The Chairman of council had promised to do that but they are foot dragging,” he said.

But the Chairman of the Convocation Ceremony committee, Olaniyi Ogunlola, said the ceremony would be chaired by the Chancellor of the institution.

He said by the rules of the university, the chancellor and Emir of Bauchi, Rilwan Adamu, would declare the convocation open and also close it.

He also said that adequate security would be provided to ensure there was no breach of the peace during the convocation ceremony.