By Sunday Ani
The Lagos State House of Assembly, yesterday, resolved to invite the Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Mr. Tolani Akibu, the Vice Chancellor of Lagos State University (LASU), Professor Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, and the Senate as well as other top staff of the institution over allegations of extortion and certificate racketeering levelled against the school recently.
Speaker of the House, Mudashiru Obasa, noted that the source of the story might be suspicious and not trustworthy because of its tendency to blackmail, but agreed that the concerned officials of the institution should be invited to clear the air on the allegation for the sake of the institution’s reputation.
“I agree that the committee should invite those that should be invited to establish the facts about the allegation. But we must not destroy our institution’s reputation because of that. If anyone is found wanting, such a person should be sanctioned,” Dr. Obasa, an alumnus of the institution, said.
Moving the motion under ‘Matter of urgent public importance,’ Owolabi Ajani told his colleagues that there was the need to invite the Commissioner, the VC and others for the House to unravel the truth behind the allegation.
Ajani noted that LASU had maintained a high level of integrity over the years, and insisted that it must be sustained.
While Sa’ad Olumoh asked that the investigation should involve people in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) unit of the institution, Desmond Elliot and his colleague, Ladi Ajomale, who said they attended LASU, supported the move to investigate the allegation.