The National Association of Nigeria Students has called out the Chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, Ilaro Chapter, Emmanuel Ademola, for dabbling into the feud between it and the Rector of the Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro, Olusegun Aluko.
DAILY POST reports that NANS has been at loggerheads with Dr Aluko for suspending the Students Union Government President of the polytechnic, Adegboye Emmanuel Olatunji, over alleged involvement in cultism.
But, the Ilaro Polytechnic ASUP Chairman, on Monday, was said to have warned the suspended SUG President and his allies to stop attacking the Rector, Dr Aluko.
The union, through an online medium, vowed that any further attempt to tarnish the image of the Rector and its members will be viewed with utmost seriousness.
Ademola was reported to have said ASUP as a “union frowned at the persistent attack on the personality of the Rector, Arc. Olusegun Aluko, Ph.D. by the suspended Student union President.”
In its reaction, NANS described the statement of the ASUP Chairman as “gibberish, unethical and unguided,” saying the it was convinced that the ASUP Chairman and his Secretary, Foluso Faparusi are “ideologically bankrupt with lack of clarity on what the position of ASUP should be in a matter that has to do with activism and victimization.”
The students’ body said Ademola “has not only deviated from the role and purpose of the union, but has equally dragged the name of ASUP in the mud by issuing a statement in the defense of the Rector of the institution.”
In a statement made available to DAILY POST on Monday, Ogun NANS Chairman, Tomiwa Bamgbose, said he has found out that the majority of the lecturers of Ilaro Polytechnic “are not aware of such a reckless and dubious statement.”
Bamgbose, in his words, made allegations against the ASUP leader when he said: “It should be noted by the public that in our findings, we were able to ascertain that the ASUP branch Chairman, in connivance with the dictatorial Rector of the institution are jointly carrying out corrupt practices.
“One of the atrocities jointly committed by the Chairman and the Rector is the alteration of the IPPIS and payroll of the institution. It is not surprising that a crude Chairman who could betray the interest of his union members would come out to defend the Rector in that unguided manner.”
He alleged that both the Rector and Ademola have been engaging in “padding of names on the payroll submitted to the government,” saying “the branch ASUP ought to be a catalyst for transparency but unfortunately, he has taken the side of the oppressors.”
Bamigbose spoke further: “Shall we remind the Chairman that ASUP as a union is expected to be a radical platform for defending human rights?
“Do we also need to remind Emmanuel Ademola and Foluso Faparusi that Olusegun Aluko ceased to be a bonafide member of ASUP as long as he holds the position of the Rector of the institution? When then did it become a role of ASUP to start defending the institution’s management in such a reckless manner?
“This statement is even coming at a time when the management of the institution itself has not released an official statement.
“Apparently, the Chairman is either uninformed or intentionally retrogressive as he has failed to address the allegations laid by the Rector against some of the Polytechnic lecturers on a Sweet FM live radio program on Wednesday 24TH of June, 2020, wherein the Rector stated that some lecturers of the institution influenced the management’s position during the last Students Union election. Rather than defend the lecturer, the Chairman shamelessly swallowed this attack.
“In essence, we admonish the National Secretariat of ASUP to look into the backwardness that the leadership of Emmanuel Ademola and Foluso Faparusi is drawing the branch of that noble Union into.
“We also want to reiterate that we have a track record of how the rector has been altering the institution’s IPPIS list in connivance with Mr. Emmanuel Ademola and Foluso Faparusi.
“Let it be known, that this struggle is not only a battle of our victimized Comrade, Adegboye Olatunji, but a collective struggle of the Nigerian Students.
“We want to prophesy ahead, the doom of the Rector and all his cronies within and outside the institution, as their atrocities and corruption cases shall hit back against them soon.”
DAILY POST reports that the Rector has assured that he would address the press on the issue before the week runs out.
