 |
| Comrade Chinonso Obasi |
- Challenges Prof. Otunta to disprove all allegations, especially the criminal case of forgery and fraud instituted against him at Federal High Court, Abakaliki
National
Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has insisted that the Vice Chancellor
of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Prof. Francis Otunta must
resign his appointment.
In
a press statement by the National President of National Association of Nigerian
Students, Comrade Chinonso Obasi, he said that Prof. Otunta is unfit to occupy
the office of Vice Chancellor because while serving as Rector of Federal
Polytechnic Unwana, Otunta allegedly conspired with four other persons and forged
the letter headed paper of Emma-Ishiagu Int’l Ltd and opened an account with
Fidelity bank (Account Number 4110018208) with intent to defraud and allegedly
obtained the sum of Eighty One Million, Seven Hundred Thousand Naira (N81,700,000.00)
from the Polytechnic.
Obasi
also said that Prof. Otunta was briefly detained by the police in Abakaliki
before a three count charge of obtaining by false pretences, fraud and forgery
was preferred against him and four others before a Federal High Court,
Abakaliki in suit No. FHC/AI/5C/2015.
Excerpt
is the full text of the press statement
Further
to the call on the Vice Chancellor of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture
(MOUA), Umudike, Professor Francis Otunta, to resign his appointment within
seven days, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), wishes to set
out reasons for the ultimatum and renew the demand.
Recall that rising from its
fourth National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting at the University of Abuja,
NANS resolved to align with the current fight against corruption and all forms
of anti-social activities in the country by serving as whistle blowers.
In line with that policy
direction, NANS at a press conference addressed by the National President,
Comrade Chinonso Obasi, GCNS; gave seven days ultimatums to Governor Abiola
Ajimobi, to reopen the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH),
Ogbomosho, as a first step to addressing the crisis in the institution and the
VC of MOUA, Prof. Otunta, to resign from office for issues bothering on gross
incompetence, dishonest practices and highhandedness, as well as engaging in
behaviours inimical to the academic and proper development of students.
While Governor Ajimobi
commendably heeded the call by NANS, Prof. Otunta, mounted a high horse and
instead of reasonable consideration of the accusations against him, resorted to
grandstanding and declaration of war against the NANS President, Comrade Obasi,
whom he claimed was expelled from Federal Polytechnic
Unwana.
Based on the foregoing, NANS
wishes to spell out the cases against Otunta, which make him unsuitable to
continue to occupy the office of Vice Chancellor and insist on his resignation
within a grace period of four working days.
Prof. Otunta had while serving
as Rector of Federal Polytechnic Unwana, allegedly conspired with four other
persons and forged the letter-headed paper of Emma-Ishiagu Int’l Ltd and opened
account No. 4110018208 with Fidelity bank with intent to defraud and allegedly
obtained the sum of Eighty-One million, Seven Hundred Thousand Naira (N81, 700,
000.00) from the Polytechnic.
Prof. Otunta was
briefly detained by the police in Abakaliki before a three count charge of
obtaining by false pretences, fraud and forgery was preferred against him and
four others before a Federal High Court, Abakaliki in suit No. FHC/AI/5C/2015.
Within few months
of assuming office as VC of MOUA, perhaps to lay the foundation for another
commission of fraudulent contract awards for which he is standing trial in
court, Prof. Otunta prematurely removed a good number of HODs to cover
impunities perpetrated in Computer Engineering.
Other nefarious
actions taken by the embattled VC include:
- Result upgrading and sexual harassment in Computer Engineering Department, in addition to installing a student as HOD, Computer Engineering, who presently collects N6, 000 each from students while issuing receipts for N2, 000.
- Stopping Senate-approved Post Graduate programmes in some colleges and departments and compulsory payment of N1, 500 for student and staff Identity cards.
- Extortion of N4, 000 from students for MOUAU campus shuttle, compulsory levy of N5, 000 for ICT and taking undue advantage of female students.
- Illegal collection of N2, 500 for online registration of all one hundred level students of Engineering and illegal fronting of engineering students for dubious but selfish objectives by fraudulent academics in Engineering Department.
NANS is not only
disturbed about the dirty and bushy environment in MOUAU, which is inimical to
students health and academic work, but also that in spite of the N4, 000
extorted from students, the transportation system has crumbled, with lack of
water and power supply compounding the woes of students.
Consequent upon
the foregoing, NANS hereby challenges Prof. Otunta to disprove the above
allegations, especially the criminal case of forgery and fraud instituted
against him at Federal High Court, Abakaliki and show evidence that Comrade was
ever expelled from Federal Polytechnic Unwana.
We shall in line
with our resolve to partner the various anti-graft agencies in the country,
forward Otunta’s acts of dishonesty to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
and at the end of the grace period of four days, take necessary actions to put
effect to our resolution.
Signed
Comrade Chinonso Obasi GCNS
National President,
National Association of
Nigerian Students (NANS)
No comments:
Post a Comment