Prof. Labode Popoola, the Vice Chancellor, Osun State University (UNIOSUN), on Friday described the allegation of financial misappropriation against him by the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) of the institution as a blackmail.

Popoola said at a news conference in Osogbo that his refusal to allow some staff of the university to embezzle money was the reason for the persistent crises in the university.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that there has been series of petitions against the vice chancellor by NASU, leading to his being invited by the EFCC last year.

He said that he would never trade peace for fraud, no matter the petition, allegation or protest against his leadership.

The vice chancellor maintained that he would rather resign his appointment than collude with any group of persons to perpetrate fraud.

Popoola said that the disruption of the 2018 convocation ceremony of the university by the union was shameful, adding that the crisis in the university was not likely to end because he would not bend rules.

Popoola said that in spite of the financial crisis in the state, the university had been prompt in the payment of staff salaries.

”The school was spending about N11 million to conduct exam before I became the V-C but now we are spending less than N3 million,” he said.