LAUTECH Students: Ajumobi gets 7 days ultimatum to apologize

Following a video showing altercation between the Oyo state governor, Abiola Ajumobi, and the protesting students of Ladoke Akintola University (LAUTECH), a Civil Society organization on the platform of Citizens Action to Take Back Nigeria (CATBAN), has given the governor seven days ultimatum to apologize for his ’embarrassing comments on the students.

A statement signed in Abuja on Wednesday by the Co-convener of CATBAN Comrade Ibrahim Garba Wala, described Ajumobi’s encounter with the protesting students as “Act of executive rascality & irresponsibility in the strongest terms.”

“We at Citizens Action to Take Back Nigeria (CATBAN) have watched in utter disgust and disbelief, a video in which the Governor of Oyo State, Mr. Abiola Ajumobi addressed protesting students of Ladoke Akintola University (LAUTECH) few days ago. The video first uploaded by online news website, Sahara Reporters, brought to fore some ugly truth about the concept of leadership in this country which should worry every patriotic Nigerian.

“Governor Ajumobi was surrounded by heavily armed security personnel who were positioned to shoot without provocation, an obvious sign that the governor’s arrogant inciting remarks were fuelled by his belief that he is well protected by security agents paid with proceeds of tax paid by those who voted him into office, who also look up to him for protection & better welfare.”

It was alleged that his open show of disdain towards the students points to a deliberate desperate attempt to incite and provoke them into action, thus enabling him the opportunity to unleash retaliatory violence against them.
LAUTECH has been shut down for over 8 months due to lack of funding to the University, and as a result lives of thousands of students temporarily placed on hold.

Reacting how the governor described himself in the video, the group said< "Governor Ajumobi described himself as boss and the constituted authority showed no remorse about keeping the lives of those students on hold for over 8 months, instead, he was more concerned about being respected by those whose life had been placed on hold due to his administration’s failure. CATBAN, however, called LAUTECH students and Nigerians in general to come together and prove to Governor Abiola Ajumobi of Oyo State (and others like him) that they are not the constituted authority. "Therefore, we are giving Governor Abiola Ajumobi of Oyo State 7 days to withdraw his abusive remarks and apologize to LAUTECH students for treating them with such disdain. "We also want to strongly caution the Oyo State Governor from future reckless display of impunity and power show towards Nigerian Youths who are the bedrock of this nation and on whom the future rests on”, they said.