A human rights activist, Comrade Adeniyi Alimi Sulaiman, has asked the embattled Rector of the Federal Polytechnic, Ede, Osun State, Mr. John Taiwo Adekolawole, to step aside from office honourably over the recent allegation of gross misconducts leveled against him by the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) Chairman of the Polytechnic, Mr. A. Masopa.

He stated that the call became imperative as a way to pave way for independent investigators to investigate the mirage of allegations, bordering on plagiarism, abuse of office, nepotism and other grave offences leveled against Adekolawole.

This was contained in a signed statement by Comrade Sulaiman and copies were made available to newsmen on Tuesday, alleging that Adekolawole had committed grave offences in the service of the Polytechnic which made him to change his surname from Edaogbogun to Adekolawole because he had earlier been barred from holding any duty and sensitive position in the citadel of learning, adding that Edaogbogun (now Adekolawole) was alleged to be barred through a letter titled: ‘Suspension Without Pay and Removal From Directorship and Headship of the School of Applied Sciences and Department of Laboratory Technology Respectively’.

The statement added that the current Rector of the Federal Polytechnic, Ede, Mr. J. T. Edaogbogun (as he then was) changed hissurname to present Adekolawole when he realised that the name “Edaogbogun” could not be allowed to occupy any position of responsibility in the Polytechnic community because Edaogbogun had been used to perpetrate evils as a Lecturer in the year past in the Polytechnic which made the disciplinary Committee of the institution to suspend him without pay for two session and as well removed him from Directorship and Headship of the School of Applied Sciences and Department of Science Laboratory Technology respectively over what they termed as “Gross Misconduct” as contained in a Letter dated November 1, 1995 with reference number FPE/99/01/117 and signed by the then Registrar of the institution, F.C. Mordi.

Sulaiman who is Executive Chairman, Centre for Human Rights and Social Justice (CHRSJ) further alleged that Adekolawole had involved in the financial mismanagement of the school funds to the tune of N60 million, noting that the rights group (CHRSJ) had concluded arrangement to forward a Petition Letter to the nation’s anti-graft body for alleged financial mismanagement and other sundry issues against Adekolawole.

According to the statement; our investigation revealed that Mr. Adekolawole-led management team of the Polytechnic in collaboration with the Polytechnic Governing Council Chairman, hired ADMUHAM Travels and Tours to organise illegal retreats for few members of the Governing Council where the sum of N40,000,000 were approved and withdrawn from the Polytechnic treasury in less than 24 hours as reflected in the two internal

memory double dated February 12, 2020 with reference number FPE/R/CA/REC/26/375&376 respectively.

Also, through internal Memo dated January 30, 2020 with reference number: FPE/REC/PRO/308, the Rector approved illegal sum of N891,180 for air ticket, hotel accommodation and transport fare for the wedding ceremony of the younger brother of the Council Chairman in Sokoto State and Rector approved the same Air ticket fare for his wife, Mrs. Olukemi Adekolawole and many more of financial scandals.

It would be recalled recently in the media that the Rector of the Federal Polytechnic, Ede, has been alleged to have enmeshed in series of allegations of violating the extant laws guiding the regulations of the institution by the Polytechnic ASUP Chairman, saying that since

Adekolawole became Rector, his tenure has been characterised with lopsided appointment, indiscriminate issuance of queries, nepotism, disobedience to the extant rules and others.

Part of the reported allegations against the Rector in the media, were; on December 11, 2017, few month after his appointment as Rector gave his wife, Mrs. Olukemi Adekolawole, what can be regarded as triple promotion. Although, the Rector had refuted all the allegations of gross misconducts leveled against him by the ASUP boss.