On Thursday, there was some little drama at the Osun State Polytechnic, Iree, when two Rectors started working again on the campus of the college.
Following the state government’s suspension of the college’s rector, Dr. Tajudeen Odetayo, on July 11, 2023 due to allegations of financial mismanagement, and the appointment of Mr. Kehinde Alabi as acting rector, the institution has lately been in trouble.
To prevent the defendants/respondents, their servants, privies, employees, or however else described from carrying out the letter of suspension dated July 11, 2023, and letter of query dated August 1, 2023, given to the claimant/applicant herein, or from otherwise interfering with the claimant/applicant’s position as the Rector of the University, Odetayo, through his attorney Rasheed Adeniyi, approached the Industrial Court on August 21, 2023.
Justice O. A. Ogunbowale, who ruled over the case in Lagos, approved the claimant’s request for an injunction and prohibited the state government and its representative from taking any further action until the lawsuit’s outcome was known.
However, on Thursday, Alabi and Odetayo both returned to their roles as rector of the school, with Alabi’s supporters congregating in a hall while Odetayo and few staff members supporting him resumed at the rector’s office.
Odetayo arrived on campus and handed the chief security officer a court order before going to the office while being escorted by a group from the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnic, or ASUP, at the institution.
A little while later, Alabi and his ASUP group arrived to the school and gathered in a campus hall.
Tope Abiola personally released a statement that he instructed students and employees to abide by while the government took the required steps to guarantee peace returned to the campus.
“I urge you to maintain your composure and carry out your regular duties without any resistance,” he urged.
