LASU crisis: Congress suspends ASUU excos

FRESH crisis is brewing at the Lagos State University, LASU, as the general congress of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, of the institution, weekend, suspended its union’s executive members led by Mr. Adekunle Idris for lack of focus and poor leadership style.

The decision which was arrived after an extensive deliberation by the congress subsequently, announced the establishment of an interim executive led by Asokere Ayodele to take charge of the union’s affairs until a properly constituted executive for the union is put in place.

The congress also directed that a five-man investigative panel be constituted to probe activities of the suspended ASUU-LASU executives.

Asokere, along with two others, Afobuno Sunday and Rasaq Adewale Olowu conveyed the congress’ decisions at a media briefing at the weekend. They said that the union’s emergency congress held on Thursday, December 11, 2014 had in attendance about 150 academic staff out of the 450 staff who are active on campus at the period of the congress.

According to Asokere, the congress was well-attended going by records of the past attendance, adding that available records of members’ attendance at previous congresses showed that the number of attendees was normally between 50 and 100.

The interim chairman said that the notice of the exco’s suspension was being communicated to the various groups affected by the decision including the ASUU Lagos, the ASUU national, the LASU management and the suspended executives.

“At a well-attended congress meeting of the union, we reviewed the events unfolding within the union in the last 21 months under the regime of Mr. Adekunle Idris-led exco. After extensive deliberations, it was decided that since the Idris–led excos has lost focus and has displayed gross incapability to hold the union as one, leading to its balkanization, the exco is hereby suspended.

Eminent scholars

“An investigative panel comprising eminent scholars is hereby constituted to probe the Idris–led excos and report back to the congress within 14 days. Therefore, dear members of the press, the entire public is hereby notified of the suspension of Mr. Adekunle Idris–led excos and should cease to parade themselves as chairman and excos of the union.

“Finally, an interim exco led by my humble self has been put in place to steer the ship of our union until a properly constituted exco is put in place.” The interim chairman said.

While fielding questions from journalists, Asokere explained the rationale behind the suspension of the excos, saying members were tired of Idris’ leadership style and lack of unity in the union.

He said: “Generally, apart from trainings, there are individual traits and there is what is called leadership style. Adekunle has grossly displayed that he lacked both the capability and willingness to hold his subjects together. Ability to harmonize various groups is an important ingredient of leadership, but it has been displayed that the suspended chairman of ASUU-LASU that he lacked this qualities.”