The Vice Chancellor of the Federal University , Oye Ekiti (FUOYE), Ekiti state, Prof Kayode Soremekun, on Friday accused Governor Ayodele Fayose of being behind the violence threatening to destabilize the institution.
The vice chancellor told journalists yesterday that the governor was sponsoring some unruly union leaders, whom he accused of beating up some lecturers on campus some few days ago.
Three union leaders, including the Chairmen of Senior Staff Union of Nigerian Universities, Com Ademola Mutiu, his counterpart in National Association of Academic Technologists, Com Ekundayo Ojugbaye and Chairman of the Non Academic Staff union, Com Adebayo Dada were suspended by the institution last week for declaring industrial action and for unruly behaviour to the council members.
However, Fayose, through his Special Assistant on Public Communications, Lere Olayinka , denied the allegation saying he had no business with the federal university.
The vice chancellor, at a press conference in Ado Ekiti yesterday, said Fayose had allegedly been after his life since September 28 after serving as the Chief Returning Officer in Edo governorship election won by Mr. Godwin Obaseki of the APC.
Soremekun recalled that the governor’s alleged resolve to destabilize the university started a few days ago when he allegedly ordered the Secretary to the State Government, Dr Modupe Alade to bail some union leaders arrested for beating up some lecturers from the police custody.
Soremekun alleged that the unionists were arrested after beating and inflicting injuries on some lecturers on duty in an attempt to effect total strik in the university caused by non-payment of hazard allowance and allegation of lopsidedness in the promotion exercise.
He said, “The unionists were becoming so unruly in recent time. In fact, they beat up some lecturers and we called for their arrest only for the SSG to bail them out acting on
governor’s directive.
“I am not a politician and I didn’t expect the governor to be sponsoring violence against me. Before the Ondo governorship election, it was rumoured that I would be the Chief Returning Officer and before I could blink an eye, Fayose released my phone to the world where all sorts of messages were being sent to me.
“As I speak with you now, my life and that of the Registrar, Mr Daniel Adeyemo and other management members are not safe. They even sent to a top management member Prof Amun that they are coming to embarrass him in the church he presided over on Sunday, it is as bad as that.
“This fight is meant to save the soul of our university against partisanship. It is a fight against principalities and power of darkness in high places working to politicize and destabilize our university”, he said.
The VC insisted that the suspension slammed on the union leaders still subsists in spite of the threats and unruly behaviour against the management members.
He said he has written to the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu and the National Universities Commission on the issue.
Denying the allegation, Fayose added, “The Vice Chancellor is the one that should search his conscience whether or not he is doing the right thing concerning the management of the university.
“Be that as it may, it sounds so illogical that head of a university will stand before the press to say that university staff should be arrested and detained by the police for protesting."
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