LAUTECH ownership law divides Oyo lawmakers

 
Lawmakers in Oyo state are now sharply divided by the law conferring the sole ownership right of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomosho, on Oyo state government as the lawmakers have objected to the allocation to the teaching hospital arm sited in Osogbo.

The law on the sole ownership of the institution was passed by members of the last sixth assembly in May this year and gazetted in the same month by the last administration, in the wake of the ownership crisis that rocked the institution established by Osun and Oyo State governments.

When the lawmakers reconvened on Wednesday to deliberate on a N14, 365, 043, 144 supplementary appropriations sent to the House by the executive arm of government, the Minority leader, Hon. Rafiu Adekunle, described the allocation of funds for LAUTECH teaching hospital inOsogbo, Osun state, as wrong, illegal and unlawful.

“The governor has always portrayed himself as having respect for the rule of law. I must say that the sanctity of the rule of law will not work against this law which was passed on May 13, 2011 and gazetted in the same month. It is not about whether the law is liked of disliked but appoint of law,” he said.

The Minority leader, therefore, urged the House to expunge the allocated fund or merge it with the one appropriated for the teaching hospital in Ogbomosho.

But his counterpart from Ibadan South-West II,Hon. Olusegun Ajanaku said the observation had nothing to do with the funds allocated and stated that the executive arm had not breached any law in the bill sent for consideration.

While contributing to the debate, another member of the House, Adegboyega Adeoye called on his colleagues and the speaker not to ignore the observation by Minority leader urging the speaker to use her “good offices to address the issue,” which the speaker promised to do.

“We were voted for by the people of this state to undertake the sacred task of custodians of mandate. We should not work in a situation where democracy will become autocracy. The people are watching us, Adekunle said while seconding the motion for adjournment.