The appointment of a new Vice Chancellor for the Federal University, Oye Ekiti has been generating controversies between management of the institution and the Academy Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, Akure Zone.
FUOYE had recently called for entry into some executive positions in the university, particularly the position of the Vice Chancellor in which qualified candidates applied and some shortlisted for the seat.
However, the leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, Akure Zone seems not to be satisfied with the selection processes as they cried out over alleged plan by the incumbent Vice Chancellor, Professor Kayode Soremekun to impose one of his allies whom they claimed was of questionable character.
The Zonal Chairman of ASUU, Professor Olu Olufayo while addressing a news conference in Ado Ekiti alongside other leaders of the zone, appealed to the Federal Government to as a matter of urgency prevail on the incumbent Vice Chancellor to follow due process and ensure that candidate for the seats emerged on merit.
The leadership of the Akure Zone of ASUU pointed out that the move by Professor Soremekun to impose his anointed candidate, Professor Abayomi Fasina as his successor is an attempt to jettison selection by merit.
The management of the Federal University, Oye Ekiti, however denied the allegations, describing them as not only untrue, but unfortunate and misleading coming from supposed academicians.
The leadership of ASUU said: “For some time now, ASUU has been calling out different agencies of government to address the rot, extraordinary corruption, ineptitude and moral decadence at the University under the direction of Prof Kayode Soremekun Vice Chancellor Prof Abayomi Sunday Fasina (Deputy Vice Chancellor, Administration) and a host of others.
“If this is left unchecked, it would be a fallacy to address FUOYE as a University.
“Under the watch of the Professors Soremekun and Fasina, FUOYE has become an enslaved and conquered territory where academic freedom has long been mortgaged to nepotism, parochialism and patronage.”
The Union however said they would continue to pursue the right course until due process becomes the template upon which things are done in the university.
However in a swift reaction, the management of the Federal University, Oye Ekiti denied the allegations, saying the institution had no intention and would not impose any candidate as alleged by the union.
In a statement signed by the Deputy Director, Corporate Services,
Mr. Yinka Ademuyiwa, the management accused the ASUU leadership of only trying to recycle unfounded allegations just to distract the management in its bid to put the university on a sound footing.
The statement reads “The management of Federal University, Oye Ekiti (FOUYE) is irritated by incessant allegations against it by members of Akure Zone of ASUU who are becoming pests even to ASUU itself.
“To set the record straight ASUU FUOYE has disowned ASUU Akure Zone and severed all relationship and commitment. So the ASUU Zonal Coordinator lacks the authority and legitimacy to speak for FUOYE-ASUU.
According to the statement, Professor Fasina is not being imposed by anybody noting that the process of getting the new VC is on-going and people of goodwill are hopeful of the emergence of a new VC from the transparent process.
The statement also attests that Professor Fasina did not collect double salary at anytime.
“This case is already in court and it is sub-judice to make it a subject of discussion in the media. EFCC, ICPC and the University Governing Council had investigated the matter and made respective pronouncements on this issue which Akure ASUU keeps recycling like a jaded record.