In a press conference held today on the several controversies arising from the recent purchase of a Toyota Hiace Bus by the President of the Obafemi Awolowo University Students' Union, the President has come out to openly challenge critics and alleged antagonists to provide concrete proof that the bus costs more than the said price and not just work with individual estimations.
When detailing the events that led to the purchase of the Bus, Oyekan Ibukun stated that part of his Campaign promises was providing a transport scheme for the Union and upon the commencement of his administration, he made requests for funds from the University Management, not knowing of any backlog. Upon getting to learn of the backlog, the University Management only agreed to release the funds if it was tied to a meaningful project and so he decided to use the funds, which is being paid in installments for the bus project.
In response to questions about why he seemed to have slighted the legislative arm of the Union in making the purchase which was also very much reemphasized by the Chairman of the Budgetary and Finance Committee, the President accepted his faults and promised to correct this in further dealings. He however stated that the University Management gave an ultimatum of three days for the execution of the first project and as such did not allow him enough time to go through all necessary processes. He further stated that in making the next purchases, as accordingly to him; a maximum of three more buses would be added to the one currently on ground, a committee would be set up to make the process more transparent.
Also, reacting to alleged claims that the receipt being circulated on Social media is faux and his seeming reluctance to divulge the price of the bus from the beginning, the 400L student of Medicine claimed that the address on the receipt was the residential address of the dealer that made the sale and other necessary details such as the day the car was brought into the country, the Customs registration number (Cnumber), the amount paid on the bus etc. were clearly stated on the other documents of the car. This, according to the President, had also been the basis by which some other dealers had confirmed the authenticity of the claims that the bus was not a refurbished one but a Tokunbo Bus.
The President, however, once again reemphasized that owing to the height that people had tried to stain his integity, he was willing to give out the keys to any one to take to bus down to any Car dealer and if the bus is said to be worth less than the said price and he was found guilty of any embezzlement, he was ready to resign. This he claimed prompted his letter to thet Independent Corrupt Practice and other related offences Commission (ICPC) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the two agencies have responded, commencing their investigations.
The Financial Secretary, Omisakin also denied claims that he stated that the Bus cost N2.9m as against the stated N2.5m by the President and receipt of the bus.
However, several reactions still trail the issue of the bus as many still remain unsure as regards the price of the Toyota Hiace Bus, while some other students do not even see the need for the project in itself.
When detailing the events that led to the purchase of the Bus, Oyekan Ibukun stated that part of his Campaign promises was providing a transport scheme for the Union and upon the commencement of his administration, he made requests for funds from the University Management, not knowing of any backlog. Upon getting to learn of the backlog, the University Management only agreed to release the funds if it was tied to a meaningful project and so he decided to use the funds, which is being paid in installments for the bus project.
In response to questions about why he seemed to have slighted the legislative arm of the Union in making the purchase which was also very much reemphasized by the Chairman of the Budgetary and Finance Committee, the President accepted his faults and promised to correct this in further dealings. He however stated that the University Management gave an ultimatum of three days for the execution of the first project and as such did not allow him enough time to go through all necessary processes. He further stated that in making the next purchases, as accordingly to him; a maximum of three more buses would be added to the one currently on ground, a committee would be set up to make the process more transparent.
Also, reacting to alleged claims that the receipt being circulated on Social media is faux and his seeming reluctance to divulge the price of the bus from the beginning, the 400L student of Medicine claimed that the address on the receipt was the residential address of the dealer that made the sale and other necessary details such as the day the car was brought into the country, the Customs registration number (Cnumber), the amount paid on the bus etc. were clearly stated on the other documents of the car. This, according to the President, had also been the basis by which some other dealers had confirmed the authenticity of the claims that the bus was not a refurbished one but a Tokunbo Bus.
The President, however, once again reemphasized that owing to the height that people had tried to stain his integity, he was willing to give out the keys to any one to take to bus down to any Car dealer and if the bus is said to be worth less than the said price and he was found guilty of any embezzlement, he was ready to resign. This he claimed prompted his letter to thet Independent Corrupt Practice and other related offences Commission (ICPC) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the two agencies have responded, commencing their investigations.
The Financial Secretary, Omisakin also denied claims that he stated that the Bus cost N2.9m as against the stated N2.5m by the President and receipt of the bus.
However, several reactions still trail the issue of the bus as many still remain unsure as regards the price of the Toyota Hiace Bus, while some other students do not even see the need for the project in itself.
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