By Adebisi Adeyemi, Lagos
Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun has assured the current students of the Moshood Abiola Polytechnic (MAPOLY), Abeokuta, that the creation of the Moshood Abiola University of Science and Technology (MAUSTECH), as well as the Ogun State Polytechnic, Ipokia, will not in any way disrupt the existing academic calendar of their institution.
Amosun gave the assurance, while addressing students of MAPOLY, who staged a peaceful protest to his office, to express their grievances over the refusal of their lecturers to conduct their examination, three weeks after it was scheduled to hold.
Describing the action of the lecturers as a ploy to hold the government to ransom, he assured that the representatives of the institution will be invited immediately to give reasons for their decision.
The governor, who said the lecturers want the current academic staff of MAPOLY to be automatically transferred to the new university, stated that this cannot be the case, as only those, who are qualified to lecture in a university, will be absorbed.
He stated that the students will not be moved to Ipokia immediately, as MAPOLY will not go into extinction until after four years, cautioning the students against being used for political ends.
While further allaying the fears of the students, the governor said that new lecturers ill be employed in Ipokia, to lecture the National Diploma 1 students, but added that no new National Diploma student will be admitted into MAPOLY this year.
The students, led by the Chairman of the National Association of Nigeria Students (NANS), Comrade Sikirullahi Balogun Olawale, had earlier commended the state government for its leadership style, in handling their grievances.
