By Shina Abubakar
Osun State Government has described Osun State University (UNIOSUN) as a leading implementer of the 2025 Federal Government of Nigeria–ASUU Agreement, adding that this was done even before its implementation by the Federal Government.
In a statement by the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Oluomo Kolapo Alimi, the government added that the UNIOSUN law is a domesticated version of the Federal Universities Act.
The government thereafter rejected what it described as an insinuation that it has been indifferent to the welfare of academic staff or that it has failed to honour its obligations under the agreement.
It described the decision of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) not to mention Osun among states that promptly implemented the union’s agreement with the federal government at UNIOSUN as surprising.
The statement read in part, “It is particularly curious that ASUU’s statement, while commending a number of State governments for commencing implementation of the 2025 FGN-ASUU Agreement, failed to acknowledge the demonstrable efforts of the Osun State Government in this regard.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the Osun State Government has implemented the Federal Government/ASUU agreement at Osun State University, even before the Federal Government and has also commenced payment of the applicable arrears. It is on record that Governor Ademola Adeleke is the second to approve the salary, after Ekiti State. The omission of Osun State from ASUU’s commendation of States that have commenced implementation is therefore surprising and inexplicable.
“The Osun State Government therefore rejects any insinuation that it has been indifferent to the welfare of academic staff or that it has failed to honour its obligations under the agreement”.
The state government further insisted that the tenure extension of the institution’s vice-chancellor is in accordance with due process and in no circumstances is it illegal.
“Consequently, the attempt by ASUU to present the Federal Universities (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act as though it is the controlling legislation for UNIOSUN is legally misconceived. The University does not derive its existence, powers and governance structure from the Federal Universities (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act. Its institutional framework is founded on its own enabling law. This distinction is not merely semantic. It is fundamental to any serious legal analysis of the governance of UNIOSUN.
“The Osun State Government further rejects the suggestion that the decision concerning the tenure of the Vice-Chancellor was an arbitrary executive action designed to circumvent the law.
“The issue has been subjected to the appropriate constitutional and legislative process, permitted within the provisions of the legislation in Osun State. Following the decision of the Visitor, the Osun State House of Assembly exercised its legislative authority to amend the relevant provisions of the Osun State University Establishment Law,” it added.
ASUU had described the tenure extension granted to the institution’s vice-chancellor and the subsequent amendment of the University Establishment Act as setting a bad precedent for other state governors to create succession crises in state-owned universities.
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