Workers of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) in Ondo State have vowed to continue their protest against their Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Adebiyi Daramola until he steps aside.
The workers whose protest against Daramola had entered day-seven, were reacting to a publication in national dailies credited to their management that it would no longer tolerate any protest.
The aggrieved staff were members of the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU), Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities ( SSANU) and the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT)
The FUTA management, who spoke through, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Olatunde Arayela said their was no basis for the protests, adding that Daramola had not been found guilty by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The workers have been protesting against the release of their VC by EFCC over alleged abuse of office and misappropriation of fund.
Addressing journalists during the Wednesday protest, Chairman of the SSANU, Comrade Dele Durojaiye said the unions would continue the protest until the VC stepped aside.
He said “FUTA management went on air yesterday telling the whole world that we were agitating because of the FUTA primary school staff that were disengaged from the school and that we were requesting for money.
“I address you to let the whole Nigerians know that we are not asking for any sort of money from the University management, we are not protesting because of the primary school teachers that were disengaged
“All they said were baseless lies, we forwarded petitions against the management of this institution on the monumental fraud and corruption going on this university. And that’s what we are fighting for.
“What we are saying is the moment you are being investigated by the antigraft agency, you should step aside and we want government to dissolve the council, the council is equally corrupt.
“We are also telling government that not until Prof. Biyi Daramola is removed, this University will be under lock and key . We don’t care if it takes more than three months.
“We are joining forces with reasonable Nigerians, with President Muhammadu Buhari to fight corruption in this University”, Durojaiye said.
According to the chairman, the demands of the union are “since the Vice Chancellor and the Bursar are currently being investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC), the practice in this university is that an officer under investigation be placed on suspension pending the determination of the allegations
“On this note, we resolve that both the VC and the Bursar be relieved of their positions with immediate effect
“That an audit team be set up by the Federal Government to probe the account of the university from 2012 to date.
“That the governing council of the Federal University of Technology, Akure be dissolved with immediate effect.
“That a visitation panel be constituted to look into the running of the university in the recent past”, he said.
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