Chairman of the Governing Board of Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta, Prof Kamaldeen Balogun, has debunked allegations of corruption and misconduct in the running of the affairs of the institution.
Balogun, who is also the Chief Imam of Egba Gbagura, said that his administration, since coming on board in 2022, has been pursuing transparency, prudency and efficient management of the resources of the polytechnic to achieve its current state of stability and relative peace.
The Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye Emeritus Professor of Philosophy and Religion also said that whatever the governing council has done under his watch was according to the extant rules of the polytechnic and the express approval of the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof Abayomi Arigbabu.
Balogun, who is also the current Dean of the College of Arts, Social and Management Sciences of Crescent University, Abeokuta, disclosed this on Sunday while reacting to some allegations levelled against him by some concerned students and stakeholders of the institution.
The group had, in a statement, accused Balogun of working in connivance with the registrar of the institution, Mrs Olubunmi Elewodalu, to unilaterally appoint the new bursar for the polytechnic and fix other top management positions.
The group claimed that with Balogun’s support, the registrar was able to install her brother, Ayodeji Jibodu, as the Managing Director of MAPOLY Microfinance Bank without having the requisite qualifications.
This group said Jibodu graduated with a pass from Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro and that according to banking rules, such is not fit to have been so appointed as the MD of the bank.
They claimed further that the microfinance bank is now being run by Balogun, the registrar and his brother, the new MD, whereas the recognized and registered directors of the banks, such as the Rector, Dr Adeoye Odedeji, the Bursar, Mr Fatai Adisa Yekini and Dr Olasunbo Oyebolu have been sidelined.
The board chairman was equally alleged of forcing Oyebolu to resign her appointment as one of the board directors of the microfinance bank sometime in April 2024.
The group alleged further that the Governing Council Chairman and the Registrar are doing all of this to have unchecked control of the bank and this, they said, will lead to mismanagement of funds and subsequent collapse of the bank.
They claimed that Balogun has also decided to send packing the Chief Security Officer of the institution who is not bound by tenure and has been doing his job creditably.
The group warned that doing all of these will throw the school into another round of crisis.
Balogun has, however, in a statement discarded all of these allegations describing them as “tissues of lies, fabrications and cheap blackmail by a faceless group that does not want the endemic corruption mitigating against the smooth running of the school to be checked and stopped”.
He insisted that he has never done anything contrary to the rules of the polytechnic as there are not only available documents to back whatever the council has done, but such decisions were also with the approval of the state government, particularly, the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof Abayomi Arigbabu.
He said, “On the issue of appointment of Registrar and Rector, I wish to state that the Governing Council, in line with the requirements stipulated by the National Board for Technical Education as contained in the 2019 Polytechnic Amendment Act has placed the advertisement for the two positions in a national newspaper as the tenure of the Bursar and Rector expire in September and December respectively”.
He explained further that “the position of the Managing Director of the Polytechnic Microfinance Bank had been vacant and upon recommendation of the bank board, the council directed that advertisement be placed for the position.
“All applicants were duly subjected to pass through the process of writing examination and interview, and the best candidate who is also a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants was selected for the position.
“The selection documents were endorsed by the experts, council members and members of the Bank Board for further ratification of the Governing Council”.
Balogun also said that there was never a record of the forceful resignation of Dr Mrs Olasunmbo Oyebolu as one of the Directors of MAPOLY Microfinance Bank.
The chairman said that Oyebolu voluntarily resigned her appointment, and the bank board forwarded her resignation to the Governing Council for ratification.
On the appointment of another Chief Security Officer, the chairman said that the institution had been without a substantive CSO for a long time and that the outgoing had been in an acting capacity.
He said, “This acting CSO is, however, awaiting being tried by the Polytechnic Staff Disciplinary Committee in view of various allegations levelled against him which, to the best of the Polytechnic management, pose a security risk to the system.
“In line with the NBTE requirements, this unit should be headed by an ex-service police or military officer for which the present Acting CSO does not fit, therefore necessitated the need to place an advertisement for the position”.
