VC Appointment: Seven Professors Join NMA Against UNIOSUN As Court Assumes Jurisdiction

The Osun State High Court, Osogbo presided over by the Chief Judge of the state, Justice Adepele Ojo on Friday gave a nod to seven professors to join a suit filed by the Nigerian Medical Association(NMA) against the Governing Council of Osun State University for excluding members from the Vice Chancellorship contest.

This is just as the court assumed jurisdiction over the suit challenging the school for stipulating that anybody who wants to be appointed as Vice-Chancellor of the institution must possess a doctorate.

The NMA and a professor of the College of Medicine of the institution, Olutayo Alebiosu had dragged the University before the court on August 28th 2021 to challenge the Governing Council over the advert placed on National Dailies.

The Counsel to the plaintiff, Barr Niyi Akinsola speaking with newsmen after the sitting of the court on Friday explained that the advert excluded the medical lecturers who possess the post-graduate fellowship.

“The institution has violated the right of the professors and they have approached the court by instituting a suit against them joined by the Osun State Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola.

“The three defendants; the Institution Council, Vice-Chancellor and the Osun State Governor filed a preliminary objection challenging the jurisdiction of the court on our matter which was argued last week Friday and the ruling was reserve till today.

“The court declared today that it has jurisdiction to hear and determine the suit today. Seven professors want to join the suit we earlier filed and the court granted us our prayer to join the Incorporated Trustees of the Nigerian Medical Association as co-plaintiff.

Among those that joined as co-plaintiff are; Professor Solomon Fadiora, Professor Caroline Adeoti, Professor Abayomi Folorunso, Professor Siyan Oyeweso, Professor Dayo Akintayo and others.