Senate Elects Ekanola Acting VC Amidst Selection Crisis

There’s no end in sight when University of Ibadan will elect Vice-Chancellor of the Premier tertiary institution, today, the Senate has elected Prof. Adebola Babatunde Ekanola the new Acting Vice-Chancellor of the university.

Ekanola, who is the current Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academics was elected on Monday – the same day the tenure of Prof Idowu Olayinka expired as the VC of the 72-year-old university.

Sources at the meeting, where the election took place, said Ekanola scored 275 votes to beat four other professors nominated for the position.

Prof A. Oluleye was said to have scored 80 votes to come second while Prof Adigun Agbaje polled 15 votes to place third; Prof Gbemisola Oke polled 14 votes and Prof Olanike Adeyemi got 13 votes.

After the selection of a new VC for the university was embroiled in crisis, the process was cancelled and a fresh one was ordered by the NUC.

The fresh process, which is ongoing, is already embroiled in a fresh crisis.

With this, the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, asked the Senate of the university to appoint an acting VC.

The Director, Public Communication, University of Ibadan, Olatunji Oladejo, confirmed the election of Ekanola.

He said, “It is confirmed that Prof Ekanola, current Deputy Vice-Chancellor Academics has been elected the new acting vice-chancellor.”