Gabriel Dike

Some concerned lecturers of the Lagos State University (LASU) have accused the present and immediate-past executives of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) LASU branch of mismanaging N168million in the last five years.

Addressing newsmen on Tuesday, the concerned members of ASUU-LASU led by the immediate-past Dean, Faculty of Arts, Prof Adeleke Fakoya, said the exco had not presented an audited financial account to members in the past five years.

His words: ‘’With over 700 academic staff who pay an average of N4,000 each, monthly, this means that the present and immediate-past ASUU-LASU exco members have about N168million to account for.’’

In a swift reaction to the allegation of mismanagement, ASUU-LASU Secretary, Dr. Tony Dansu, and the Treasurer, Dr. Kemi Aboderin-Sonibare described the claim as frivolous adding that the union had not realised such amount in the last five years.

The briefing document which was signed by 13 senior lecturers including former chairmen and secretaries of ASUU-LASU branch, said from the colossal amount involved, it was suspected that the present and the immediate-past ASUU-LASU exco might be unwilling to surrender the administration of the union in order to conceal their mismanagement of the ASUU-LASU funds.

Prof Fakoya observed that while the national body demonstrates high moral standard, the current executive of the branch was continually engaged in acts injurious to ASUU’s global integrity, members’ morale, and future of education in the university.

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He accused the present and immediate-past ASUU-LASU exco of always looking for ways of creating chaos within the university, unwillingness to see any progress in the present university administration, pilfering documents from files across offices in the university in order to incriminate principal officers and other staff.

The concerned lecturers confirmed they petitioned the university management to suspend ASUU-LASU check-off dues because the sacked chairman of the union, Dr. Isaac Oyewunmi, was still signatory to the bank account. Fakoya said Oyewunmi and Dr. Adebowale Adeyemi-Suenu were being paid N50, 000 monthly stipends from the dues.

He said the exco became paranoid and made allegations against all former ASUU-LASU leaders and without following due process, got them suspended from the union four years ago while over 100 members had withdrawn their membership of the union in protest against the present exco reckless leadership attitude.

Former chairmen of ASUU-LASU, Prof Kabir Akinyemi, Dr. Jamiu Oluwatoki, Prof Biodun Akinpelu, and Adebukunola Adedoyin urged the national body to intervene and called for fresh election because the tenure of the present exco expired in March 2018.

The ASUU-LASU scribe said the union did not have such money in its account, stating that the national body regularly audits its account. He disclosed that from the check-off dues collected, 61 per cent goes to the national body and 39 per cent for the branch which is used for the welfare of members, payment of salaries of four workers and trips to various meetings.

Dansu also faulted their claim of paying stipends to Dr. Oyewunmi and Adeyemi Suenu, saying that it was not the first in LASU and that it was part of ASUU’s policy to give stipends to any member victimised by the management until the case is over.

He insisted that the branch, zone and national believe the chairman and vice chairman were sacked on the account of union activities and recalled that the UNILORIN chairman remained as chairman for 14 years until the Supreme Court ruled in their favour.

The immediate past chairman, Dr. Adekunle Idris, debunked the allegation of mismanagement of N168million, stressing that on a quarterly basis the national body requests for audit account and also sends the national auditor to audit the branch account.