Special Adviser to the Lagos State governor on Education, Mr Fatai Olukoga, said that 17 out of the 19 PhD certificates withdrawn by the management of Lagos State University (LASU) have been cleared.

He made this known on Tuesday at the 2015 news conference organised by the Ministry of Education, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos.

He said that the certificates were cleared after due process.

Olukoga explained that 19 lecturers were alleged to have obtained fake PhD certificates.

“17 have been cleared; the remaining two are unionists. The chairman of ASUU, refused to come for clearance saying that his certificate is with Falana.

“We are waiting for Falana to sue LASU and see whether he can win.

“LASU was established by law, the management and the governing council are independent to run the day-to-day affairs of the institution.

“When there is a problem and they cannot resolve it that is when they come to the government to help them out.

“We do not dabble into LASU crisis or problem; they have the governing council members who are competent and capable to handle the institution,’’ he said.

He blamed the management, Academic Staff Union and Students Union Government of the institution for the continuous closure of the institution.

“I cannot see a reason why students will fight because there is no light on their campus, do they have light in their homes?

“LASU was shut for over a month now.

“The union said that if the institution wanted to have its convocation, the government must appoint an Ag. VC.

“An employee cannot dictate to his employer to sack anybody. The union wants the government to sack the VC and that is not possible, he said.

He accused the union of formenting problems to end the tenure of the VC, which he said would end in Oct. 2015.

“The union does not want the VC, they do not want a two-term VC and the regulation said at the end of his first tenure, he can apply with other people for the post.

“If he satisfies the conditions and found competent, they will automatically appoint him and if not they will pick another person,’’ he said.