UI Students Union Reject Management Suspension Order

Contrary to the announcement by the Vice Chancellor of University of Ibadan Professor Idowu Olayinka on Tuesday, that the Students Union of the institution has been proscribe indefinitely, the Students Union (SU), President of the university, Comrade Aderemi Ojo has said that the union still remain intact.

Ojo made this declaration while addressing a joint press conference organized by the union’s executive council and the Students Representative Council of the institution on Thursday in Ibadan.

Ojo who was flanked by Secretary of the union, Comrade Uchechukwu Augustine and Speaker of the SRC Comrade Ibrahim Asiwaju said it was wrong for the Vice Chancellor to make such statement without Senate approval which he said is contrary to the university regulations.

He said that the union is not a cube of sugar which can be dissolved anyhow.

Ojo said it was unfortunate that the university if waging a lost battle against his government which has just spent 24 days in office.

Ojo in his five-page address said contrary to insuniation that he verbally embarrassed the VC, the only time he spoke during his inauguration was when he was called to read his speech but he did not even mention anything like VC.

He noted that contrary to the widely circulated rumour that he insulted the vice-chancellor at his inauguration adding that the only time he spoke at the said event was to deliver his speech and no part either directly mentioned the VC or insulted him and his office.

The UI student union described as laughable and ridiculous to hear that the sole reason supposedly offered by the management for the purported suspension of the union after 24 days in office was that the President supposedly insulted the Honourable Vice- Chancellor.

Ojo while speaking against unlawful victimization of students by the institution, its agents and the police both on and off campus informed that it was wrong for the institution to claim that the union directed students to act in contrary with the institution’s regulations.

Mr Ojo after dispelling some claims on behalf of the union made 9-point-demand from the university management which include that the the university authority should immediately release the Students Union Building and all properties of the SU that has been wrongly seized, return of all undergraduate students to halls of residence, Proper and transparent account of the fees paid for the issuance of ID cards from 2015/2016 academic session till date.

Others are that the Students must have the right house hot plates in the kitchenettes as provided for by the laws of the university, distribution of ID cards before first semester examinations for the 2016/2017 academic session, immediate call for a welfare board meeting to address the sundry welfare issues on campus and reinstatement of all wrongfully and unjustly expelled or rusticated students by the university central disciplinary committee and immediate audit of the university bursary department, UI Ventures, UI Micro Finance Bank, office of the VC, office of DVC (administration), office of DVC (academic), office of Dean of Students, Hall management committee of all halls of residence.

He also demanded that the university central library should be open for use 24 hours everyday as stipulated in the students information handbook.