The division rocking the students' union body of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile Ife has assumed a new twist as the parliamentarians sacked Edward Oyekan, President of the union, from office, The Independent reports.
He was sacked over allegation that he invited some suspected cultists to the university campus to disrupt the peace of the institution.
He was removed from office by 37 parliamentarians against 14 who were abstained from the voting at a sitting held at Awolowo Hall Cafe.
The parliamentarians also resolved to forward their resolutions to the university authority via a letter to be communicated to them.
The parliamentarians also announced the suspension for two weeks of the Secretary General and Public Relations Officer of the union, Boluwajaiye Adeoluwa and Okediji Simon respectively who were accused to absent themselves at the parliamentary sitting despite the fact that they were communicated on the notice of the meeting.
The union parliament also prohibited absent parliamentarians from attending two subsequent sittings of the lawmaking arm of the union.
Odetoyinbo Fiyin, a member of the OAU Students' Union parliament, who spoke to journalists, commended the resolutions, particularly the impeachment of the president.
"I strongly believe that the impeachment of the president has been lingering for a long time. He has committed so many misconducts, he is also known for absconding congresses.
The clerk of the parliament, Iyiola Oluwatosin, while speaking said that the president had committed series of impeachable offences.
"The president was alleged to have invited cultists into the campus to attack students in a parliamentary sitting that he called which was held Wednesday November 1. The cultists who came to attack our students were conveyed to and fro the university campus with the union bus and he masterminded the attack.
"This is an archetype that cultism is likely to return and history should not be allowed to repeat itself. The resolution of the parliament as regards the impeachment of the union president is valid and there is no going back."
Falayi Temitope, the speaker of the parliament, said the president was removed over gross misconducts including involvement in an attack on students.
"Mr. Oyekan Ibukun Edward, impeached OAU students' union president, was impeached because he cannot be trusted on matters as regards students' security.
"He allowed students to be beaten black and blue by cultists who were conveyed to and fro the university premises in a bus which was meant to be in the custody of the president. He did invite the cultists that came to attack students at the university students' union building on November 1st, 2017", he stated.
However, the embattled president of the union, Mr. Edward, in a statement, said his removal was null and void.
According to him, "my attention has been drawn to news flying around social media that the president has been impeached, the secretary general and public relations officer of the union have been suspended for two weeks.
"May I use this medium to inform you all that it is not true and not in tandem with the sacrosanct Constitution of our union."
"The Parliament has 150 honourables and only 37 honourables voted for the impeachment of the president against zero. This is evident of their sinister plan and motive," he said.
The clerk of the parliament, Mr. Oluwatosin, however explained that the removal of the union president is valid.
"At this point in time, permit me to clearly clear the general public that the president has been constitutional impeached according to Article V, Section 67 Subsection 1-2.
"Article V, S.67(1), observed that any officer of the union shall cease to hold office if a motion for his removal is supported by two thirds of the member of the SRC present and voting at a meeting provided quorum is formed.
"Permit me to relate to you that parliamentarians present during voting were 51 and the quorum is (50), 2/3 of the member of SRC of 51 should be 34; and 37 voted which make it more than valid.
"Hence, I implore the general public to deal with Mr. Edward Ibukun as a member of the union and not as president. It should be clearly noted again here that the parliament has been fair in dealing with the impeached president before now but bringing cultists to and out of OAU campus with the union bus is the acme of it."
With the decision of the parliament as stated by the constitution, the speaker is expected to assume the office of the president of the union due to ongoing suspension of the vice president by the university management.
The suspension of the vice president, Jacob Tosin, and director of socials, Adedayo Emmanuel, by the university management after both engaged in a bloody clash over money have earlier been reported.
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