Pension row: Oyo retirees threaten protest against varsity, teaching hospital

The Nigeria Union of Pensioners, Oyo State Council, on Monday, threatened indefinite protest against the managements of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso, and Emmanuel Alayande University of Education, Oyo, for defying Governor Seyi Makinde’s directive on pension increases.

The state secretary of the union, Segun Abatan, who announced this during a press briefing held at the council’s Secretariat, Agbarigo, in Ibadan, the state capital, warned that pensioners would commence sustained protests from Tuesday, August 18, 2026, if their demands remained unmet.

Abatan accused some chief executive officers of state-owned tertiary institutions of placing themselves above the authority of Governor Makinde.

He recalled that the governor had, in January 2025, following consultations with the union, approved a minimum monthly pension of N25,000 for the least paid pensioners in the state with effect from January 2025.

The NUP secretary further explained that the governor also directed that all outstanding pension increases, including the 33 per cent pension increase approved in 2010, the 2019 consequential adjustment, the 20 per cent pension increase effective January 2024, and N17,500 out of the approved N32,000 increase effective August 2024, should be incorporated into the pensions of eligible retirees.

Abatan said, “We are here to intimate the public with what we consider a gross act of insubordination by some Chief Executive Officers of Oyo State tertiary institutions who believe they are greater than the directives of the Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde.”

He said all government agencies responsible for pension payments implemented the governor’s directive immediately despite the absence of an official circular.

“There was no circular to that effect. Those organs of government believe that any directive from the governor is law with or without a circular and must be carried out strictly,” he stated.

The secretary alleged that the boards and managements of state-owned tertiary institutions initially refused to comply, adding that they would only implement the directive after receiving a formal circular.

Abatan said the union subsequently engaged the institutions through correspondence and advocacy visits.

He noted that the managements of Oyo State College of Education, Lanlate, and Adeseun Ogundoyin Polytechnic, Eruwa, eventually complied with the directive by implementing the approved pension increases.

The secretary added that the union also visited Emmanuel Alayande University of Education, where the vice-chancellor allegedly assured members that the pension adjustments would be implemented.

Abatan said, “We were warmly received by the vice-chancellor and were led to believe he would fulfil his promise. Little did we know that we were being fooled.”

On LAUTECH Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso, Abatan said the union had written to the Chief Medical Director, Prof Olawale Olakulehin, on June 1, 2026, and received a response on June 10.

He said after the union replied to the CMD’s letter, another response dated June 19 postponed any meeting with the union until further notice, adding that after waiting for 54 days, the union issued another letter on July 24, giving the management seven days to implement the pension increases.

The secretary said, “The seventh day expired today. Rather than address our demands, the CMD wrote to invite us to a meeting today, August 3.

“We saw that invitation as a ploy to derail this press conference and informed him that after waiting 19 months, we were no longer interested in meetings but in the implementation of the approved pension increases.”

Abatan stressed that the union was demanding full implementation of all approved pension increases and not merely payment of a flat N25,000 across board.

He said, “The increase should include the 33 per cent pension increase, the 2019 consequential adjustment, the 20 per cent increase of January 2024 and the N17,500 increase.

“The arrears have accumulated for 19 months because implementation ought to have commenced in January 2025.”

Abatan commended the management of Michael Adeniyi Koleoso Polytechnic, Saki, for approving and commencing implementation of the pension increases from July 2026.

Abatan described the institution as having joined “the league of responsible and responsive managements” alongside Oyo State College of Education, Lanlate, Oyo State College of Agriculture and Technology, Igbo Ora, and Adeseun Ogundoyin Polytechnic, Eruwa.

He, therefore, urged the managements of LAUTECH Teaching Hospital and Emmanuel Alayande University of Education to emulate those institutions.

“The CMD of LAUTECH and the vice-chancellor of Emmanuel Alayande University should climb down from their high horses and learn from institutions that have already implemented the governor’s directive,” he said.

The secretary added that the same institutions promptly complied with Makinde’s directives to pay N50,000 Christmas and New Year bonuses to pensioners in 2025 and the three-month N10,000 fuel subsidy relief without demanding any enabling circular.

“The managements headed by Prof Olawale Olakulehin and Prof Lanre Olaniyan have shown disdain for our union and our members.

“They have displayed arrogance, insensitivity to the plight of pensioners and self-centredness,” Abatan stated.

He disclosed plans to seek the intervention of the Nigeria Labour Congress to declare a three-day warning strike in both institutions, describing the alleged refusal to implement the approved pension adjustments as an act of insubordination against the state government.

Abatan announced that its State Executive Council had resolved to commence mass protests at both institutions from Tuesday, August 18, 2026, adding that the strike would involve affected pensioners, retirees from ministries, departments and agencies, as well as retired primary school teachers and local government pensioners in the affected areas.

“This will be the first phase of our struggle. Our protests at LAUTECH and Emmanuel Alayande University of Education will continue daily until our demands are met.

“A letter will be forwarded to His Excellency to assure him that our actions are not designed to embarrass his pensioner-friendly administration but to whip into line the managements of LAUTECH and Emmanuel Alayande University of Education, which have blatantly disobeyed his (Makinde) directives,” Abatan said.