The leadership of the National Association of University Students (NAUS) has threatened to shut down the Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE) over the failure of the federal government to take decisive action in resolving the festering crisis rocking the university.
The university students have also given the federal government 72 hours to remove the vice-chancellor, Prof. Abayomi Sunday Fasina, over allegations of sexual harassment and mismanagement of the university’s resources brought against the VC by Engr. Folashade Adebayo and other senior staff of the university.
NAUS issued the ultimatum in a letter signed by its national president, Comrade Peter Oche, and addressed to the minister of education, Dr Olatunji Alausa. A copy of the letter was made available to newsmen in Abuja.
According to him, NAUS has commenced nationwide mobilisation of students and would not stop until the voice of the student body is heard and justice is served.
In the letter, Oche said NAUS fully supported the earlier petition by the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) urging the minister of education, Dr Olatunji Alausa, to immediately remove the vice-chancellor.
NANS President Comrade Olusola Oladoja in the earlier petition expressed disappointment over the handling of the sexual harassment case by the panel set up to investigate it, and accused the university’s Governing Council, under the chairmanship of Senator Victor Udo Udoma, SAN, of worsening the situation in the institution by hurriedly suspending the Senior Staff Association Nigerian Universities (SSANU) chairman and secretary without granting due process to both sides.
NAUS, therefore, called on the education minister to take immediate action on NANS’ petition by removing the vice-chancellor and suspending the chairman of the Governing Council.
The president of NAUS, Comrade Oche, stated in the letter: “We demand the immediate removal of the vice-chancellor, Prof. Abayomi Sunday Fasina, within 72 hours of this correspondence and the suspension of Senator Victor Udo Udoma SAN, chairman of FUOYE Governing Council, pending investigation.
“Constitution of an independent investigative panel, comprising students, legal practitioners, and external stakeholders, to revisit and thoroughly probe all sexual harassment cases especially that of Dr Agbegbedia.
“Special audit of all financial activities of the university under Prof. Fasina. Protection for whistleblowers, including SSANU executives and Dr Ngozi Ole, who have been targeted for standing up to injustice.
“Public acknowledgement of the institutional failures and a commitment to restoring justice, peace, and academic integrity to FUOYE,” he stated.
