Supporters of Dr. Aaron Akinloye have protested his purported disqualification from contesting as National Secretary of Alumni Association of the University of Lagos in the upcoming election.
Akinloye, who is seeking another three-year term as the body’s National Secretary, has challenged his disqualification by Chief Olawale Cole-led election committee, saying the move was borne of deceit to favour a rival contestant for the same post.
Director-General of Dr. Akinloye’s re-election campaign, Prince Ola Seriki, explained the list of those screened and qualified to contest the election which they received had excluded Dr. Akinloye, prompting the protest to declare their rejection of his exclusion.
Said he: “We got a release yesterday, showing us the list of already screened and qualified candidates. Unfortunately, Dr Aron and about two other people were among those said to be disqualified based on what they termed ‘constitutional provisions’ which we don’t understand.what they meant by constitutional provision.
“Obviously, we were told that it was based on a particular subsection in the constitution. But I put to you that same constitution that made Dr Aron Akinloye a two-time Assistant Secretary, the same constitution gave him the current office he occupies as substantive secretary,” Seriki said.
He spoke while leading a protest within the environment of the campus, insisting what the election committee termed ‘constitutional provision’ upon which it hinged Akinloye’s disqualification was deceitful and treacherous, urging the Cole-led election committee to reverse itself for the sake of probity, decency, fairness and accountability.
Seriki clarified that Akinloye had contested election and won two times as Assistant National Secretary and once as National Secretary, based on the same constitution upon which Chief Cole-led election committee had now disqualified him (Akinloye).
“Let me state that Akinloye had contested with the same Chief Ogundipe and history is repeating itself. Tomorrow, both of them are still going to be contesting together and the same candidates that contested under the same constitution, that same constitution is now being misinterpreted to disqualify Dr. Aron for a reason we cannot understand. This smacks of deceit. It is unacceptable.
“Olawale cole is a former Alumni President and now the chairman electoral committee who is bent on imposing his stooge Mr Michael Adebisi against all odds as the next National Secretary Of the Association. He disqualified the incumbent National Secretary who’s a PhD holder and lecturer within the University system, Dr Aaron Akinloye who, before assuming office as the incumbent national secretary, had served as the Assistant National Secretary for two terms before winning the National Secretary Election.
“We are hereby calling on Dr. John Momoh, because we know he is a man of integrity; we are calling on the University management; and on the vice Chancellor. Unilag has witnessed more than enough violence,” Seriki said.
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