The crisis rocking the Federal Polytechnic Ede, Osun State on Friday took another dimension as members of the academic board of the institution purportedly suspended the Rector, Dr John Taiwo Adekolawole.
The suspension was followed by a motion moved and seconded by members of the board during an emergency meeting to consider the result of the second semester of the students of the Dual award programme being run by the school.
Insider at the meeting said the Rector was reading a report when a vote of no confidence was moved against him.
Reacting to the development via a phone interview with our Correspondent, the Rector, Dr Adekolawole dismissed the report of his suspension, querying how the board got such powers to suspend him.
He said the main cause of Friday's crisis was as a result of "greediness" of some members of the ASUP. He alleged them of demanding for payment for work they didn't not do.
Adekolawole insisted that the academic board approved the programme and lecturers have been attending to students since, adding that first semester was completed with examination done and results approved by the board.
"It's a wrong information. The board has no power to suspend me. I remain the Rector of Federal Polytechnic. The main cause of what happened yesterday was as a result of some lecturers demand payment for work they did not do. Imagine when a lecturer did job of five hours and I demanding for payment of fifteen hours. I insisted that everyone will get payment commensurate to what they did.
"At the Academic board meeting, as I was reading a report, someone just rose and moved a motion of vote of no confidence on me. Then another person seconded it. As the meeting was becoming rowdy, I left the venue and asked Dr Adelabu who was sitting by my side to continue as I excused myself.
"After that, I was told that members of ASUP have deflated tires of my official car and wanted me out of the school immediately. That's was the who show," Adekolawole said.
Speaking further, the Rector said, "on the legality of the dual programme, it was approved by the board and even the governing council before it was dissolved. Members of the academic board insisted that we cancel a whole session at a point when second semester examination was ongoing and I told them we can't do that. We must consider the future of the students who have paid for the Programme. We did first semester and it was this same board that approved it."
When asked what steps he has taken after the incident of Friday, Adekolawole said apart from briefing security agencies, he has also inform the Federal Ministry of Education and the National Board of Technical Education, NBTE.
He said he will resume to office on Monday to continue his work as the Rector of the Polytechnic.
