How Ojo Bright Was Impeached As NAOSS OAU President

The Congress of Ondo state students that held on Sunday at Social Sciences LT 2 has impeached the President of its association – National Association of Ondo State Students (NAOSS), Obafemi Awolowo University chapter on issues bordering on gross misconduct, abuse of office and allegations of money embezzlement.

In a congress monitored by our correspondents which lasted over six (6) hours with members of the association constantly expressing their displeasure and disappointment at the conduct of the Executive Council especially the president, the president used foul languages at members and acted unquestionable until the last minutes of his ‘reign’ when he began to realize the impending loom.

Ojo Bright Idemudia, a part 4 student of the department of psychology emerged as the president of Ondo state students unopposed in April 2015 after elections into the Executive Council of the association. He contested for this position after he gallantly lost a bid to become the President of the Great0 Ife Student Union.

The General Secretary of NAOSS OAU, Ekundayo Olajide Samuel a.k.a Prof. Jide set the ball of the day rolling after accusing the president of calling the congress without his fore-knowledge after he was invited by Mr Bright to step forward. He continued by alleging that Ojo Bright has embezzled and mismanaged NAOSS funds.

"Ojo Bright is a mere political noisemaker that lacks administrative skills. In fact, he did not achieve any good thing throughout his tenure.

"He(Ojo Bright) singlehandedly collected money from the Staff Advisers and some philanthropists without informing the other Executive members.

"He (Ojo Bright) collected N100,000 for NAOSS national election and he cannot account for the money." The General Secretary revealed.

Upon the revelation of this development, Ojo Bright engaged the General Secretary in a war of words accusing him of failure to carry out his constitutional duties by not attending a meeting the president called for which held in the president's house in town.

Following perceived rift between the two leaders, observing congressmen requested that the two officers step forward and someone with no interest in the matter moderate the case. The president refused the request and repeatedly mocked the request for the quests by congressmen to resolve the issue amicably stating that he remains the presiding officer and the president. Some congressmen who refused to adhere to the ruling of the president were commanded to leave the venue by the president including presidents of local government associations within the state which they obliged. According to them, for the sake of peace and progress since there was a case at hand that needed to be attended to.

Aggrieved but patient members of the association present allowed the president to proceed with the agenda of the congress while the matter was shifted to A.O.B of the day. The Audit, Electoral and Election Petition Committees were later constituted after which NAOSSites (congressmen) moved a motion upon the recognition of the embattled President that he (Ojo Bright) step aside as the presiding officer and the chairman of the newly constituted Electoral Commission takes over to hear the case of alleged gross misconduct exhibited by the President and the General Secretary. The motion which passed was seconded by another congressman without any objection from the congress.

Failure of the President to abide by the stipulated proceedings of the Congress at that particular period and attempt to hit a congress man who challenged the president's jurisdiction with a metal rod prompted another congressman to raise a motion after recognition that the President be Impeached for his abuse of office and gross misconduct cum allegations of fund embezzlement. With a seconder and absence of any counter motion, Ojo Bright was Impeached just few minutes to the end of his tenure.

I remain NAOSS OAU President - Ojo Bright
Reacting to the development after the Congress, Ojo Bright insisted that be remains the President of NAOSS OAU despite his impeachment by the Congress. In his words;

"I am not the president of unscrupulous elements but president of intellectuals, the President of over 5,001 Ondo students in OAU. The congress did not decide, let me state it loud and clear that the presiding officer who is first among equals is expected to recognize all parties involved and follow due process.

"However, there were some thugs who barged into the administration because we do not have a strong security committee to withstand them and came on board to disrupt the congress.

"As the presiding officer, I have not even given room for the Electoral chairman to officially lift the ban."

Also addressing his attempt to use a metal rod to stab a congressman when told to step aside for the Electoral chairman to preside, Ojo Bright who did not deny picking up the metal rod however said it was in self-defense as he perceived the congressman was coming to attack him.

The Electoral Commission has however lifted the ban for all electoral campaigns to begin as they await further information on the sales of nomination form and schedule for elections.

No Action From Us Today In OAU Until After University Meeting - NANS

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has said her members will not begin any action as promised today in Obafemi Awolowo University until the end of the University stakeholders' meeting billed for 11am.

Confirming the development to OAU Peeps News Agency this morning, Comrade Okikiola Ogunsola, the NANS Zone D Coordinator said the new development was necessary as ASUU, NASU and other Unions have continued to put call across to them requesting that they wait for the outcome of today's meeting.

"The new development of things now, we have been receiving several calls both from ASUU, NASU and other stakeholders from that campus advising our people that we should not come that they are going to have a meeting with the management this morning by 11am that our presence can truncate the process of that meeting that the Vice Chancellor has said he cannot hold meeting under duress.

"Our position now is that we will not enter campus until they finish their meeting so that the school will not give us an excuse for not having their meeting.

"But students (NANS delegates) have started arriving and they will converge somewhere close to the school till the outcome of the meeting with the University management. Immediately the outcome of the meeting is not favourable, we will spring into action".

The coordinator who also rubbished the rumour making rounds that students of Obafemi Awolowo University are not in support of their intervention, he said students and even the Union leaders can be asked to confirm their stand on the matter.

Breaking News: Ojo Bright, NAOSS OAU President Impeached Minutes To Tenure End

The president of the the National Association of Ondo State Students, Ojo Bright Idemudia has just been impeached by the Congress on issues bordering on gross misconduct, abuse of office and allegations of fund embezzlement.

Details later...

‘Be Transparent In VC Appointment’

The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and Non-Academic Staff Union of University and Allied institutions (NASU) in the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) have sought a level playing ground in the appointment of a new Vice-Chancellor.

Speaking at a joint congress yesterday, the SSANU Chairman, Ademola Oketunde, said the unions want the appointment process put on hold because “the process is fraudulent”.

According to him, the governing council did not follow due process, adding that they are not sincere and fair to all the candidates.

He added that the council has usurped the power and responsibilities of the selection committee.

He said the prayers of the unions are that all qualified candidates be granted a level playing ground.

He prayed the Federal Government to dissolve the governing council as “it has outlived its usefulness”.

Source: The Nation

Fajuyi Hall Residents Stop Construction Work In Hall

Some residents of Block 3 of Adekunle Fajuyi Hall in Obafemi Awolowo University have stopped the construction of a buttery beside their block describing it as illegal and unacceptable.

Fajuyi Hall residents woke up this morning to see the construction of an extra structure suspected to be a buttery at the end of block 3. One of the recharge card sellers in the Hall was recently granted the permission to erect the structure, it was learnt.

Aggrieved by the development, the residents complained that the structure was illegal and cannot be allowed. In their outpour, they challenged the jurisdiction that allocated the space saying some fellowships use the same space to keep their equipments and properties during week days. They asked what their fate will be if the buttery is constructed.

Reacting to the students’ stoppage of the construction work, the person who was allegedly given the space said he has been granted an official permission by the Hall Warden and hall management to erect the structure. The man who could not produce any document to substantiate his claim said he stays in town and the paper he was given for the permission is in town.

These aggrieved students have however threatened to remove any further construction made until the Warden wades in on Monday. The residents of the block vow to mobilize to the hall warden on Monday to express their disapproval and rejection of the proposed structure.

LSS Orientation Committee Screening: Adetunji Oluwatobi Asked To Take A Bow & Go

The Part three (3) class representative of the students of the Faculty of Law, OAU, Adetunji Oluwatobi has gotten an exceptional embryonic approval of the student lawmakers of the faculty to be the secretary of the Orientation Committee for the 2015/2016 administration.

During the plenary session of the LSRC yesterday, one of the agenda of the sitting was the presentation of the chairman, vice chairman and secretary of the Orientation Committee by the Executive Council. The committee is expected to be in charge of the orientation programme that will welcome the freshmen for next session.

The president named Adekanye Adeola from the Part 4 class as the proposed Chairperson and Oyewole Omolola as the Vice Chairperson. The two nominees were thoroughly screened as the honourables took time to ask them questions as regards their preparedness to take up the responsibilities before them. The nominees had served in the same committee during the just concluded administration.

Upon the request of the Speaker that the President present the proposed secretary of the committee, Adetunji Oluwatobi was named and told to step forward. In an exceptional style, Honourable Awosusi Kehinde who was the first honourable to speak following the announcement of the name reeled out how the nominee has dedicated himself to serving the society selflessly over time. He argued that his nomination is one that cannot be contested as he has proven exceptionally excellent and thus qualified to take up the task of the Orientation Committee’s secretary. Awosusi however craved the indulgence of the house that the nominee be allowed to take a bow without further screening and go.

In a seemingly related manner, another lawmaker, Honourable Ezejide Augustus moved a motion that Oluwatobi should only take a bow and go which was seconded by Honourable Oyelade Muhammed. A counter motion was however raised by Honourable Uzoma Felix arguing that what is good for the goose is good for the gander, hence, Adetunji Oluwatobi be taken through the due process of screening. The counter motion was eventually seconded by the Clerk of the house, Honourable Adeagbo Toheeb. The motions were subjected to voting where majority supported that the nominee only take a bow and go.

The Speaker of the house however ruled after the voting that the proposed secretary of the committee takes a bow and go. As at the time of filing this report, the honourables were having a closed door session to assess the nominations and consider approving them.

In a related development, the nominee for the Audit Committee for the LLB 4, Aderibigbe Abass was successfully screened while the proposed nominees for other classes were rejected following a notification that the proposed nominees were not constitutionally selected from their respective classes. The nominees are expected to have passed through an electioneering exercise in their class where they would emerge as nominees before being presented at the floor of the house.

Mixed Reactions Greet Proposed NANS Protest In OAU

Several reactions have continued to pour in since the news of the proposed intervention of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) in Obafemi Awolowo University over the suspension of some Union leaders filtered in.

NANS has vowed to hold OAU to a standstill come Monday, March 21, 2016 should the University management fail to accede to their demand for reinstatement of the suspended trio of Akande Omotayo a.k.a TY, Oketooto Oluwaseun a.k.a Hon. Seun and Ojedokun Emmanuel a.k.a Immanuel Kant.

Many students have asked why NANS has chosen a delicate time like this examination period to embark on the 'intervention'. Asides that, some students doubt the sincerity of NANS intervention and ability to sustain the intervention in the face of possible financial enticement considering the corrupt history of NANS. If this should be the case, students of OAU are scared that they may be sold out to the authority after OAU students must have pledged their allegiance to the struggle.

Another question that some students have continued to also ask is the refusal of NANS to know the mind of OAU students concerning their offer of intervention. ANSA, a group on campus has been at the fore-front of demanding for a student Congress in OAU so that students can say if they are in support or against the envisaged protest. Even if in support of it, ANSA believes there is need for the students to draft a modality for the action so that they can be properly mobilized.

As many students continue to express disapproval to the NANS intervention, some other persons have thrown their weight behind NANS on a basis that the University management has exhibited non-understanding and frustrated diplomatic approaches, hence the need for a practical action.

In the mean time, there are reports that the suspended leaders were seen in their departments participating in the ongoing examinations. This, to some persons raises questions as per the genuineness of the suspension of these leaders or there is something they do not want OAU students to know.