AAU Governing Council orders VC to vacate office

Barely five weeks after the inauguration of a seven-man governing council of the Ambrose Alli University, AAU, Ekpoma, by the Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, the council has ordered the Acting Vice-Chancellor, Professor Asomwan Sonnie Adagbonyin to vacate his office.

DAILY POST reports that Governor Godwin Obaseki had on July 18, 2024, inaugurated a seven-man governing board for the university chaired by Dr Omo-Ehijele Frank Odafen after several years of agitations by the institution’s chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU.

The leadership of ASUU had agitated for the appointment of a substantive Vice-Chancellor, a constitution for the governing council of the university, funding of the school, and improved staff welfare among others.

Adagbonyin, who confirmed the governing council’s directive in a letter of appreciation, said he would formally vacate his office next week and handover to the newly elected Provost of the College of Medicine, Professor Samuel Olowo, as the new Acting Vice-Chancellor.

He said the order to vacate his office was part of a transitional plan for the appointment of a substantive Vice-Chancellor for the university.

According to him, on Wednesday, August 28, 2024, the University’s Governing Council announced a transition plan for the University towards the appointment of a substantive Vice-Chancellor.

“I will, by this arrangement, be stepping aside next week and handing over the office of Acting Vice-Chancellor to the newly elected Provost of the College of Medicine, Professor Samuel Olowo, as the new Acting Vice-Chancellor, “he said.

He, however, thanked the school community for all the support for his team’s modest contributions to the development of the institution.

Adagbonyin was appointed the acting Vice-Chancellor of the university on February 8, 2022, following the removal of Prof. Benson Osadolor as an acting Vice-chancellor.