Kunle Adelabu
-Chairman, Publicity Secretary unveil programmes.
The Association of Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH) Chapter, on Wednesday, March 31, 2021, elected new officers to steer the ship of the union in another direction after almost five years of protracted crisis.
Comrade Akinrinlola Ibitoye was massively returned as the Chairman of the academic union of LASPOTECH.
All the contestants presented their programmes before the election that was held at the 500 – seater hall within the LASPOTECH main campus, Ikorodu .
The crisis, which adversely affected the once vibrant union under the controversial five year tenure of the former Rector, Mr Samuel Olayinka Sogunro, also degenerated into court actions.
We gathered that the intervention of the leadership of the union, especially at the zonal level coupled with the relationship of the union with the current Rector of LASPOTECH, Dr Oluremi Nurudeen Olaleye, are attributed to the new development within the union.
After the peaceful election which was supervised by the Zonal officers, the newly elected officers were inaugurated by Barr. Dele Alake
The Electoral Chairman, Dr Isaac Omolumo, while announcing the result of the election, said that 158 lecturers were accredited to vote in the election.
He commended members for the peaceful conduct of the election.
Only the position of the General Secretary of the union was contested for by two candidates – Uthman Olayinka and Babalola Ojomo, while other positions were unopposed, though, delegates still voted for the candidates.
At the end of the election, Dr Omolumo announced Olayinka Uthman as the winner of the contest for the ASUP General Secretary position. He polled 87 votes to beat his opponent who scored 62 votes.
Mr Akinrinola Ibitoye, the Chairman of the union during the turbulent tenure of Mr Sogunro, was massively re – elected by the academic staff with 153 votes.
Kosoko Roseline, who polled 156 votes, emerged as the Welfare Secretary of the union, while Anisere Ahmed scored 136 votes to be returned as the Financial Secretary.
The Internal Auditor of the Union is Adefolurin Festus. He was elected with 141 votes, while Okudini Afam secured 144 votes to emerge as the Assistant Secretary of ASUP.
Salvador Kubirat and Ade Inasa-Thomas, both of whom scored 155 votes and 89 votes were returned as Treasurer and Publicity Secretary of the union respectively.
Engr. Yekinni Asafe, the Zonal Coordinator of ASUP Zone C that covers Southwest and Kwara State and a lecturer with the Yaba Technology, addressing members of the union after the election, charged the new executives to work for their members.
He also charged members of the union to give maximum support and cooperation to the new officers to enable them succeed.
Speaking with our reporter, Engr. Yekinni said that ASUP LASPOTECH is an important union to the national and the zonal bodies, hence, the need for intervention in resolving the matter affecting them.
He said that the election was in conformity with the constitutional guidelines of the union and that lessons had been learnt during the crisis on how to handle issues with management and government.
“Let’s thank God that the crisis has been resolved. LASPOTECH is one of the chapters that we cannot play with in Zone C and even at the national level. We are not happy that LASPOTECH has been in trouble for almost five years but we thank God that through the efforts of the National President, Comrade Anderson Nzebe, we have been able to get to this level”, he said.
“We pray that our people have learnt their lessons and they will now know how to engage the management and the government in fighting for their welfare and also to promote the integrity and academic status of Polytechnic sector in Nigeria.
“The election was in line with the principles of the ASUP Constitution”.
Meanwhile, the new Chairman and the Publicity Secretary of the union have both unveiled their agenda for the union. They spoke with THE IMPACT separately after the election and swearing – in.
Comrade Ibitioye, who said that his administration would focus on addressing issues concerning members of the union, also stated that he will be pursuing the construction of a secretariat for the union by ensuring prudent management funds.
He also said that welfare of the union would be a major focus during his second tenure.
“We are here to proffer solutions to our members’ problems by engaging those that are concerned and also prove our cases beyond reasonable doubt so that they would know that we are not just asking and that what we are requesting for has basis”, the new ASUP LASPOTECH Chairman said.
“In union matters, sometimes, we do have challenges with payment and increment of salaries.
“As a union body, we will also work towards a social benefit scheme for our members in the form of group life insurance, small return on investments and something after retirement.
“Since we are in a scholarly environment, we must also find ways of assisting our members deserving promotion through conferences and seminars, provision of journals and sending them to training and also assist them in funding conference attendance for those without means.
“By and large, we would be approaching and solving problems in union ways.
“Also, we still have a project that is still hanging which is our ASUP secretariat. We still have to save to build. Though, it is not easy to save, we have to be prudent in running the union and this will be a legacy that we will achieve during our time”, he said.
“We would also be of assistance to the management towards ensuring that we rise to the occasion whenever they are in need from the government. And, as Oliver Twist, we will always ask for more when we do that. We, on our part, will be ready to deliver because to whom much is given, much is expected”, he pledged.
The Publicity Secretary, Inasa – Thomas who said that the union would be using new media platforms in interacting and relating the programmes of the union to the public, also pledged that the LASPOTECH ASUP will maintain good relation with conventional media houses.
The lecturer of Mass Communication also said that the union would use effective communication to address issues before they degenerated.
“We are just starting another phase in our journey as Academic Staff of Lagos State Polytechnic.
“My election is a testament to my professional competence and pedigree and I promise to work assiduously and prove to those who gave me the mandate that I am capable and that by the grace of God, that I will deliver.
“I have a three point agenda also known as AIT agenda. Top of that agenda is for us to utilize alternative media platforms as opposed to conventional ones.
“As we speak, we just created the ASUP LASPOTECH Chapter Twitter handle. In the next couple of weeks, the next edition of LASPOTECH e – newsletter will be ready.
“We are also looking at using innovative media relations strategy which will make us cultivate a strong rapport with the media and we are going to be doing this through media visit, parley, and syndicated press releases from time – to – time.
“We will be organizing media appearances”, he added.
“We are also going to use cinematic stakeholders’ engagements. This would ensure that we move from a crisis manager to being issue managers. We are going to be managing issues ahead by engaging all relevant stakeholders and with this, we are going to reposition and rebrand ASUP LASPOTECH as the flagship of all ASUP Chapters that we have in Nigeria”, Inasa said.
