By; BAYO AKAMO, Ibadan
Four 200 level students of the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, Oyo State and their parents, have dragged Gov Seyi Makinde and others to court over the relocation of the faculty to the newly established Iseyin campus.
In the suit numbered HOG/34/2023 filed before an Oyo State High Court, sitting in Ogbomoso, other defendants in the suit are the Oyo state’s commissioner for Education the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Acting Vice Chancellor and the Provost Iseyin campus.
The plaintiffs Akintayo Abdulqoyuum Ajibola, Onwi Bassey Edet, Ezekiel Gbadegesin Ogunmola and Prince Aderemi Olude in the suit for themselves and on behalf of other students and parents of the 200 level students of the faculty, is seeking an order of the court restraining the governor and his agents from going ahead with the plan.
The students are also seeking the determination of the court on “whether Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso Law, 2020 (As Amended) permits the movement of all the already established Faculty/Departments and/or courses to a new place/campus outside the main campus.”
They are also seeking the court’s determination on “whether moving of all the already established courses from the Faculty of Agricultural Science and Renewable Natural Resources from the main campus of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso to Iseyin Campus or any other campuses outside the main campus is not in contravention of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso Law, 2020 (As Amended).”
Besides, they are praying the court to determine whether the relocation is not “a contravention of the directive of the National University Commission in a correspondence dated 14th March, 2022 with reference number NUC/AP/SO8. VOL 1/78 directed to the University.”
In the suit, the claimants are seeking three reliefs of “an order of the court directing the Respondents whether by themselves, their agents, servants or anybody under their authority to return all the already established courses moved from Faculty of Agricultural Science and Renewable Natural Resources of the main campus of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso to Iseyin Campus back to the main campus forthwith.”
An order, “directing the Respondents whether by themselves, their agents, servants or anybody under their authority to recall back the movement of all 200 level students as directed in the letter dated 19th October, 2023 signed by the Registrar of the 3 Defendant/Respondent on the authority of the 4 Defendant/ Respondent from Iseyin Campus back to the main campus of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology.”
As well as “an order of injunction restraining the Respondents, their agents, servants or anybody under their authority from moving all the already established courses from the Faculty of Agricultural Science and Renewable Natural Resources of the main campus of the Ladoke Akintola University Of Technology, Ogbomoso to Iseyin campus or any other campuses outside the main campus.”
However, no date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.
