There has been an outbreak of anger and excitement within the College of Medicine, University of Lagos (CMUL) community over a bid to elect a new Provost for the institution through a process that is seen by many as “illegal”.
The Management of University of Lagos, under the controversial Vice Chancellor, Professor Toyin Ogundipe, has scheduled for today the election of a new Provost for CMUL, following the expiration of tenure of Professor Afolabi Leshi on December 31, 2020.
However, Professor Ogundipe’s Management has allegedly extended the tenure of Professor Leshi who will now preside over today’s election, rather than appoint as Acting Provost the incumbent Deputy Provost who had always acted for Leshi while he was away on leave or attending conferences.
Furthermore, the Ogudipe Management has adopted e-voting as method of casting ballots, is asking members of CMUL community to vote through their UNILAG e-mail addresses, which most rarely access.
The adoption of e-voting by the Ogundipe Management is also coming against the backdrop of rejection of e-voting by the University of Lagos community for the election representative in council in October 2019. After sustained objection then, in person voting was carried out.
The decisions by the Ogundipe Management to ‘illegally’ extend the tenure of Professor Leshi rather than appoint the Deputy Provost in Acting capacity, and to adopt e-voting as method of casting ballot has set tongues wagging that there may be a grand plan to rig the election.
Reacting to these developments, a retired Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, CMUL, Prof. Boniface OYE-ADENIRAN said it is illegal to extend the tenure of an elected officer, and added that there is also no basis for e-voting if rigging is not intended.
Oye-Adeniran, who is a former President of the Nigerian Medidal Association (NMA)and a former member University of Lagos Governing Council, said the the COVID-19 pandemic can not be an excuse for opting for e-voting, given that on the national level, the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) recently conducted National Assembly bye-elections and governorship elections through regular in-person voting.
He warned that should the Ogundipe Management go ahead with today’s election, any protest by any Nigerian could render the exercise null and void; and it might lead to disacreditation of the College by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria.
Professor Oye-Adeniran issued a statement, made available to The Lagos Times, to back up his position. The statement is published below.
No lesson learnt by UNILAG Leadership.
“He who comes to equity must come with clean hands.”
You cannot complain not being given due process to defend yourself when you do not believe in any due process as a Principal Officer of the University of Lagos.
It is illegal to extend the tenure of any elected officer. He must leave at the end of his tenure.
There’s no basis for e-voting if rigging is not intended.
The University of Lagos Community protested against e-voting in October 2019 when the congregation was voting for its representative in Council. Their objection was sustained and on 2nd October 2019, in- person voting was carried out.
COVID-19 infection cannot be used as an excuse. INEC conducted in-person voting in 2020 in Lagos, Ondo and Edo States. Does UNILAG have more electorate than each of those states? The answer is NO. It’s all about rigging.
The extension of the tenure of the Provost who was reelected to a term of two years which ended on 31 December 2020 is illegal when there is an incumbent Deputy Provost who had always acted for him while he was away on leave or conferences. They cannot argue that he was appointed because the Deputy Provost is not a Medical Doctor. I was a member of the Medical and Dental Council (MDCN) for 4 years, 1993 – 1994. MDCN does not frown on short term acting capacity as long as he has no official dealing with MDCN on medical education. The extension is unknown to UNILAG Act. It was disrespectful to the sensitivity and sensibility of both the staff and alumni of the College of Medicine of the University of Lagos (CMUL). The Management is asking staff to do e-voting through their UNILAG E-mail addresses that most of them don’t access. It’s a classical plan of rigging.
Any protest by any Nigerian can render that election null and void. It might lead to the disacreditation of the CMUL by MDCN.
This is called impunity.
“TOWARDS A BETTER SOCIETY.”
Prof. Boniface OYE-ADENIRAN, mni (SEC16, 1994)
Copies:
President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR.
NUC.
MDCN.
