Members of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) and Southern Nigeria Youth Congress (SNYC), Ekiti State Chapters, have protested at the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE) over what they described as alleged corruption, abuse of office and moral decay in the institution.
The youth groups with different placards also demanded the suspension of the Vice Chancellor, Professor Abayomi Fasina and the Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba as Pro-Chancellor and Governing Council Chairman of the university.
The protesters in their large numbers, marched in solidarity in Oye-Ekiti with placards such as ‘Stop the rot in FUOYE’, ‘FUOYE needs truth and accountability’, ‘FUOYE Must Be Rescued Now!’, We say no to imposition, corruption’ among others.
Speaking with newsmen, the chairman of NYCN in the state, Segun Bankole said the youth bodies have submitted a petition to President Bola Tinubu, who serves as the visitor to the university and copied all relevant anti-corruption and regulatory agencies over the situation in the institution.
He alleged that the university has been hijacked by some individuals for their personal gains, adding that repeated ministerial instructions on the movement of selection process for new vice chancellor to Abuja have been ignored by the management.
He equally decried the low workforce of indigenes employed in the institution, who are engaged as contract staff with a meager monthly stipend, saying such actions serve as maladministration and threats to the welfare of Ekiti youth.
Also speaking, the State Chairman of SNYC, Emmanuel Aladejare questioned what he described as the compressed Vice Chancellorship selection timetable, claiming it was allegedly a deliberate manipulation, ‘ to install a predetermined successor who would perpetuate corruption and impunity.’
The protesters called for immediate suspension of the current Vice Chancellorship selection process and constitution of an independent, non-partisan panel to investigate all allegations in the institution and ensure justice for victims.
According to the protesting youths, ‘ Other demands include: establishment of a neutral interim governing council to restore lawful governance, a full forensic audit of FUOYE’s finances, property acquisitions and Council expenditures since 2021, immediate return of Council activities to the FUOYE campus and legal protection for whistleblowers; as well as anti-corruption advocates within the university community.’
They called on President Tinubu to take decisive action, insisting that, ‘ only firm, transparent and immediate intervention can prevent the total collapse of FUOYE.’
‘We reject the current Vice Chancellorship appointment process. The timetable, which outrageously compresses the evaluation of over 100 applicants into just two days, is a deliberate and unlawful manipulation designed to achieve a predetermined outcome and install a successor who will perpetuate the corrupt cabal.
‘ This rushed process is a mockery of transparency and an insult to the principles of meritocracy.
‘The protest will be sustained until the Presidency acts decisively on our demands,’ the youth groups said.
When contacted the Public Relations Officer of FUOYE, Foluso Ogunmodede described the allegations from the youth groups as false and unfounded, calling on the public especially the university community to ignore the actions of the few individuals.
‘Nothing to respond to in the allegations as they remain spurious and unfounded. The allegations are lies from the pit of hell,’ Ogunmodede said.