Lecturers and other members of staff of the Lagos State Polytechnic have urged Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to appoint a rector that will command the loyalty and respect of all stakeholders in the polytechnic.
In a joint press statement by the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Polytechnics, and Non-Academic Staff Union in LASPOTECH, they said it will be suicidal to appoint allies of the outgoing rector, Samuel Oluyinka Sogunro.
The statement reads, “These joy and happiness were with us before the coming of the present rector, Samuel Oluyinka Sogunro, whose antecedents is characterised by students harassment, hatred for staff that are not his friend and penchant for diabolism.
“He became rector because of his friendliness to powers that be in government and his diabolical pursuit of the position. If there had been a governing council during the time of his appointment, Sogunro could never have been LASPOTECH rector. 
“We want to categorically affirm that he would never have been our rector if stakeholders in the polytechnic had been involved in the process. This is the reason the unions as stakeholders are lending our voice in the current appointment of the next rector of LASPOTECH.
“We also had to be involved because there is the utmost need to prevent the re-emergence of the prevailing travail in the next dispensation which may be brought about by appointing a wrong and unacceptable person to manage the polytechnic affairs in the next five years. The unions are passionate about preventing a repeat of the turmoil associated with Sogunro’s administration in the polytechnic.
“We are privy to the fact that some of the applicants for the position of rector are part of Sogunro’s administration. These are Metilelu Olumide, the current deputy rector (Academics) and Senayon Nurudeen, the immediate-past deputy rector (Academics). These two applicants are integral part of the maladministration of Sogunro’s tenure.
“It will be suicidal to give these Sogunro’s compatriots any iota of consideration on their applications. The unions do not expect them to scale the first hurdle in the process. Any mistake of appointing any one of the two will bring final doom on the polytechnic.”
The three unions further advised the governor not to appoint someone outside the polytechnic sector as it will limit the career advancement of eligible academics in the institution.
