LAUTECH: ALAO-AKALA'S ACTIONS CRIMINAL, NULL AND VOID - AREGBESOLA

Osun State Governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola, yesterday, took a swipe at his Oyo State counterpart, Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala for inducing the crisis rocking Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, for his selfish interest.

 The governor, who addressed a press conference involving LAUTECH students, parents, staff and the public at the open field of Technical College Osogbo, accused Alao-Akala of placing self and economic interests above the interest of students of the institution.

 While calling for concerted efforts against Alao-Akala to ensure that peace returns to the 20 years old institution once adjudged to be the best state-owned university in the country, Governor Aregbesola stated that all unilateral actions taken by Alao-Akala remained illegal, null and void.

 'I am particularly burdened on the intransigence of the Governor of Oyo State on the situation in LAUTECH.

Three recent acts of illegality in a chain of illegalities by the governor will bring the matter to the fore.

 'The first is unilateral proclamation of ownership of the institution by the governor on behalf of Oyo State. The second again is the unilateral hiking of the fees payable by students of the institution without recourse to the two owner states. The fees were increased from N40, 000 to N90, 000 for indigent students and N100, 000 for non-indigenes of Osun State.

 'This is an increment of 125 per cent and 150 per cent respectively. This is outrageous, insensitive and indecent. The third in this chain of outlawry is the appointment of vice chancellor and registrar for the university following the illegal sack of the former occupants of the posts.

 'It is most appalling that a state governor will easily lend himself to perpetrating illegality. Ironically, this is coming from a governor that had law enforcement antecedent. Was he not a policeman trained to enforce laws? How come he is so steeped in illegality?' the governor queried.

 LAUTECH, which was jointly owned by Oyo and Osun states governments, has been enmeshed in ownership crisis since January 2010 over the decision of Oyo State governor to take sole ownership of the university.