The chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) at the Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma has been suspended over allegations of sexual allegations.
The accused, Professor Monday Igbafen, who is reportedly an Associate Professor in the Department of Philosophy of the institution, is alleged to have demanded s-x from female students in exchange for marks.
The suspension was revealed via a statement which was released and signed by the university’s spokesman, Mr Edward Aihevba.
It stated that the suspension comes as a result of the arraignment of Prof. Igbafen before the Senior Staff Disciplinary Committee (SSDC) over allegations of gross misconduct bordering on sexual harassment and threat of marks for s-x.
According to Aihevba, Prof. Igbafen had earlier been indicted by an investigative panel over sexual harassment and was found guilty.
He also added that the family of one of the victims threatened to drag the institution before ICPC if Prof. Igbafen was to go unpunished.
However, Prof. Igbafen has reportedly threatened to expose the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ignacious Onimawo, in a bid to prove that blackmail does not work in the university.
He said this in response to the allegations as well as his suspension, adding that it was a grand scheme to intimidate the university’s chapter of ASUU.
Prof. Igbafen also stated that the VC has a personal case against him which is why he approved the suspension.
“It is a grand plot that will fail. The VC is desperate because he has so many things to hide. He is looking for a weak ASUU to manipulate.
“That petition was written against two of us when I was a Lecturer II in 2011. I answered that my hands are clean. Is that why he is denying me of my promotion?
“All these things are a plot to destabilise the Union. It is cheap blackmail. The VC is desperate to decimate ASUU. I know he is behind all the petitions against me.”
