Students of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Oyo State, have filed a lawsuit at the Oyo High Court against Governor Seyi Makinde and three others over the relocation of the Faculty of Agriculture from Ogbomoso to the Iseyin campus.
The defendants in the case also include the state Commissioner for Education, the acting Vice-Chancellor of LAUTECH, and the Provost of the Iseyin campus.
The lawsuit, with case number HOG/34/2023, was filed on behalf of the 200 level students by Akintayo Abdulqoyuum Ajibola, Onwi Bassey Edet, Ezekiel Gbadegesin Ogunmola, and Prince Aderemi Olude.
The claimants, in their prayers, are seeking, among other things, “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 the Faculty of Agricultural Science and Renewable Natural Resources of the main campus of LAUTECH, Ogbomoso, to Iseyin Campus back to the main campus forthwith.”
They are also praying the court for 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 October 19, 2023, signed by the Registrar of the three Defendant/Respondent on the authority of the four Defendant/Respondent, from Iseyin Campus back to the main campus of LAUTECH.”
They want “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 LAUTECH, Ogbomoso, to Iseyin campus or any other campuses outside the main campus.”
However, the state Commissioner for Education, Science, and Technology, Salihu Adelabu, said he is yet to receive any petition regarding this matter.
“It is no longer news if they have gone to Court. They have gone to Court already. Anyway, I’ve not received any petition. No problem, we shall meet. I’ve not received any petition anyway.”
When contacted, the Public Relations Officer of LAUTECH, Olalekan Fabiyi, simply said, “I am not aware of the petition.”
A date for the hearing of the lawsuit has not yet been fixed.
