FRAUD AT THE CITADEL IN YABATECH AS APPOINTMENT OF NEW RECTOR HOTS UP IN THE GOVERNING COUNCIL As Yaba College of Technology prepares to mark a remarkable milestone of being the oldest higher institution in Nigeria, a major fraud is about to take place in the selection of a new Rector for the institution as the present one prepares to complete her second term of four years in december. Dr. (Mrs.) M. Kudirat Ladipo, the rector’s two term as rector of the institution was marked with cases of fraud and ineptitude. Most of the cases though were never proven against her. In a push to give the college that has just received an upgrade to a full fledge university the necessary boost to hold its enviable position as a leading place of learning, a new council was recently sworn in with the notable lawyer Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) as chairman. Advertisements for the position of rector which will be vacant in December 2017 were placed in several newspapers. Candidates in and outside the college applied for the position. Candidates shortlisted received written and oral interviews on 26-27th September. But it was surprising that a former chairman of the academic staff union of polytechnics (ASUP), Yabatech chapter and a present member of the new governing council of the college, Mr Femi Omokungbe was shortlisted for interview for the rectorship of the college. Since members of the governing council will also vote on who becomes the next rector, this invariably puts Mr Omokungbe in a position of judge and jury in the same case he is involved in. Since the new governing council led by the renowned lawyer Mr Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) settled in, activities in the college has slowed to a snail crawl. If this injustice is allowed to go where a member of the council contests for a position in a college he is to oversee and also votes for himself and influences other members vote, it will be the height of injustice. This is a major clog in the anti-corruption crusade of the Buhari administration. Attempt by Pegasus Reporters' correspondent to get the list of major contestants in the race through the office of the Registrar was unsuccessful as the Governing Council was said to be keeping it to its chest. However, our source in the registry told Pegasus Reporters that the College is likely to explode into crisis soon if the Council appoints one of its member as the Rector of the College, "we hope Council knows that what it's doing is totally wrong" he told our correspondent. A lecturer in the department of engineering who spoke anonymously on the issue said: "Yabatech will be 70 in October this year, that makes it the first and oldest tertiary institution in Nigeria. We cannot fold our hand and allow some people to kick-start our anniversary with this heist. Have you ever heard of a governing council where one of the members is also a contestant in the race for the highest position in the school. We won't take it" Attempts to reach the college PRO, Dr. Oni for comments were unsuccessful while calls to his phone line indicated that they were switch-off as at press time.
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My opinion on this, Conflict OF Interest! Wanna become the Judge and the Jury @ the same time! Noooooo!!! Nah!