By Yinka Adeniran, Ibadan
Controversy is trailing the appointment of Dr Samuel Ogundiran as Chairman, Governing Council of Adeseun Ogundoyin Polytechnic, Eruwa.
The dust is not unconnected with an alleged indictment of the new appointee in a Government White Paper for financial misappropriation while serving in the same capacity during the immediate past administration in the state.
The situation was said to have led to the arrest of Dr Ogundiran by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) on Tuesday, May 28, 2019.
But the Council Chairman said neither himself nor any member that served in the Council was arrested by the anti-graft agency.
He said there was only an invitation that was honoured.
A group in the Polytechnic community kicking against the appointment claimed the alleged arrest of Ogundiran followed a petition addressed to the EFCC for allegedly approving and paying furniture allowances to members of the Council.
The group insisted that the commission invited Ogundiran and his members of council for interrogations which they declined until they were arrested.
A source, who works in the Polytechnic, confirmed the arrest was made few hours after ex- Governor Abiola Ajimobi finished his second term.
A document forwarded to Governor Seyi Makinde on the matter sighted by The Nation said: “An administrative lapse was uncovered under the watch of Dr Samuel Ogundiran in 2019 and which prompted the setting up of visitation panel of inquiry to investigate the internal wrangling in the institution.
“The White Paper which is the report of the visitation panel to Adeseun Ogundoyin Polytechnic, Eruwa confirmed that Dr Samuel Ogundiran and other members as the governing council chairman collected over payment of allowances.
“On page 5 of the white paper report and committee’s recommendation, precisely, recommendations 27 and 28, members of the governing council then which had Dr Samuel Ogundiran as the council chairman collected over payment of allowances.
“Recommendation 27 goes thus: “The officers responsible for the over payment of allowances to members of the governing council be surcharged accordingly.”
The source, who spoke in confidence, added an interim management was set up after the former management team led by Mr Iyiola Rasheed Eyitayo was asked to proceed on accumulated leave.
The group kicked against the reappointment of Ogundiran, wondering why thorough investigation was not conducted into the allegation before a reappointment was done.
Reacting to the allegations, Ogundiran said his Council never collected more than the approved template, which was brought in from a sister institution in the state.
He said: “The suspended management faced a Panel set up by the Governing Council over serious offences ranging from falsification of official records, financial fraud among others.
“It was on the day (May 18) when the Panel was to present their findings to the Council that they brought EFCC to threaten us but the Area Commander in Eruwa and his DPO insisted that the meeting must hold and they stood by us till we finished the meeting at around 6pm which resulted to their suspension.
“EFCC didn’t come to arrest us but we were invited for interrogation, the Area Commander, the DPO and the Unions insisted that we should not go but I pleaded with them to allow us to go which they later did.
“All the Governing Council members went to answer their invitation and I was driven in a Police vehicle provided by the Area Commander and the Unions numbering over 40 followed us.
“Since May 2018, we have never received any invitation from the EFCC again. The first day of seeing the EFCC was May 28, we went there, even though it was late.
“My Council never collected any money above the approved template which the suspended management brought from The Polytechnic, Ibadan and we adopted as approved at the Council meeting on our assumption of office on January 18, 2018. We never increased any part of it. It was the same payment in 2018 that was repeated in 2019.
“The suspended management was the one that collected a particular allowance three different ways as presented to the EFCC and the Visitation Panel. It was on this confirmation from the evidences that the EFCC said that we should go on personal recognition.”
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