FUOYE dismisses allegation of abuse of power, passes vote of confidence in Pro-Chancellor, Senator Ndoma-Egba

The management of Federal University Oye Ekiti (FUOYE), Ekiti State, Nigeria has defenced its Pro-Chancellor and Chairman Governing Council, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba SAN in regard of the reports of “financial recklessness, abuse of power and gross maladministration” in the university.

It said the report by an online news platform, SaharaReporters, was “blatant lies and falsehoods,” insisting that there was no bases for the allegations.

The university management in a statement by the university Registrar, Mr Mufutau Ibrahim through Public Relations Officer, Mr. Foluso Ogunmodede, said contrary to allegations, the university Pro-Chancellor had no undue interference in the day-to-day running of the university saved matters brought before him and the Council by the university management.

According to FUOYE, the allegations of “financial recklessness, abuse of power, hijacking the day-to-day running of the university and approving the purchasing of building outside the university at a staggering cost of N900millions were fictitious, unfounded, and baseless.”

While the university was handling issues of delayed salary and the relocation allowances, the management also dismissed issue of “approval of N128million for the Vice-Chancellor’s leave allowance,” describing it as lies from the pit of hell.

Also, on the issue of Council “to approve N900million for the purchase of a building outside the university campus,” the university management also said it was farther from the truth.

The management said, “The University is on course without any distractions. We will remain undeterred and unwavering in our resolve to steer the university to greater heights regardless of any attack by purveyors of fake news.

It dismissed allegations of “abuse of power, hijacking the day-to-day administration and approving the purchase of building outside the university at a staggering cost of N900 millions,” as reported by SaharaReporters, saying there was no basis for such as the management of the university had repositioned the ivory tower for optimal progress ahead of the 2024/2025 academic session.

The Management said the Pro-Chancellor, Distinguished Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba SAN and the Governing Council had in no small measure contributed immensely to the advancement of the university community.

It added that the university had leverage on the inputs by the Pro-Chancellor and other members of the Council including the substantive Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Abayomi Sunday Fasina to advance the course of the university.

The management said the allegations were being bandied with a view to distracting attention by the Council Chairman and other members of Governing Council on their genuine focus to achieve seamless transition programmes in the appointment of a new Vice-Chancellor in February 2026 after the expiration of the tenure of the university substantive Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Fasina.

The statement read, “We read with a great deal of dismay and utter distress the malicious write-up again published on the website of the Sahara Reporters and we are unequivocal in our conclusion that the story was deliberately contrived to embarrass the Federal University Oye Ekiti and to cast aspersion on the integrity of the Governing Council as well as the personalities of the Council Chairman.

“The said publication is laced with outright falsehoods and gives not even a shred of evidence to back up all, or any of the weighty allegations that it contains.

“The allegations that the Council Chairman, Distinguished Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba deliberately suppressed staff appeals to Council, including those with genuine cases and was engaged in a witch-hunt and “financial recklessness” is not only false but a calculated attempt to further cause confusion and blackmail the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman Governing Council.

“While the publication in Sahara Reporters intends to mislead the general public to the jaundiced assumption that there’s “abuse of power, financial recklessness” in FUOYE, the reality and the truth of the matter is that the university has been operating in a harmonious and tranquil atmosphere.

“All efforts of the Governing Council to ensure peace in the university are yielding positive results at the moment.

“Only those who have resolved to destabilise the system are still making negative reports about the university.

“The allegation of interference in day-to-day administration are totally false. It will interest the public to note that the same Governing Council being alleged of suppression of staff appeals constituted a peace and reconciliation committee that received over fifty complaints from staff and all of them have been satisfactorily handled. Relevant documents are available to substantiate this.

“We want to state that the Governing Council knows its functions and responsibilities as enshrined in the university Establishment Act and other relevant laws, therefore it is not interfering in the day-to-day running of the university.

“Finally, the university has benefited from the wide-wealth of experience of the Pro-Chancellor, a Senior Advocate with 47 years of experience in the Bar, 21 of them as Senior Advocate of Nigeria and extensive experience in the leadership of the National Assembly as Deputy Senate Leader and Leader of the Senate.

“To say that such a rich profile does not appear to understand the university Establishment Act is to say the least, stuff of the charlatans.

“Consequently, the Governing Council is appealing to those who never see anything good in the university to desist from tarnishing the good name of FUOYE and join hands with us to develop FUOYE to the University of our dreams.

“FUOYE has recorded outstanding achievements which clearly Sahara Reporters is not interested in.

“To put the record straight, it’s obvious that there exists no hijacking of the day-to-day administration, approving the purchase of building outside the university at a staggering cost of N900million as at no time the Pro-Chancellor never interfered in administrative process of the university except where there were infractions which would involve the entire Council to take a democratic and collective decision.

“The university prioritised workers welfare as main issue of relocation; allowances is on the front burner.

“In other words, Sahara Reporters’ missile of lies failed to hit its target again especially as there was no abuse of power, financial recklessness and gross maladministration going on in the university.

“However, FUOYE has risen above any unforeseen circumstances, emerging stronger especially in the last five months of the tenure of the acting Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Olubunmi Shittu without any encumbrance or being tele guided by any supposed powers from above.

“Professor Shittu has been responsible for the day-to-day running of the university and whatever decisions made in conjunction with the two Deputy Vice-Chancellors had been in the collective interest of the university.

“Also, FUOYE has never struggled but weathered the storm through concerted efforts of the Council, management, senate, students and other major stakeholders to arrive at its present force to reckon with, favourably competing with first generation universities.

“As a matter of fact, FUOYE is consistently ranked as number four most subscribed university in Nigeria after Lagos State University, University of Lagos and the University of Ilorin; 12th  in Nigeria in the world university ranking and 38th in the entire Sub-Sahara Africa, according to Times Higher Education (THE).

“This is an evidence that the university’s rising academic reputation and global recognition is by no mere coincidence but consistent dint of hard work.”