Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti
The Vice Chancellor of Federal University, Oye Ekiti (FOUYE), Prof. Kayode Soremekun, has said the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Akure Zone, has been having a running battle with him because he was vehemently opposed to the culture of academic rascality and corruption in the institution.
Soremekun said his administration has dealt decisively with rascally acts like sex-for-mark, certificate racketeering, introduction of obnoxious fees and all actions that can cause decay in the system, since he assumed office four years ago.
A statement made available to journalists in Ado Ekiti yesterday by the Deputy Director, Corporate Services, Mr. Yinka Ademuyiwa, explained that the vice chancellor was reacting to allegations leveled against him by the ASUU Coordinator, Akure Zone, Prof. Olu Olu Olufayo .
Olufayo at a press conference last week alleged that Soremekun was plotting to make unqualified Don as his successor, encouraging illegal promotion of cronies, allowing payment of double salaries to cronies, playing ethnic card and treating lecturers like slaves.
But Soremekun debunked the claims and stated that no efforts would be spared to ensure that all academic staff conform to the rules guiding good conduct in the academic setting, saying he won’t allow any group to
dent the image of the institution.
Soremekun said: “He (Professor Oladipo Fasina) is not being imposed by anybody and their anonymous candidate will not also be imposed. The process of getting the new VC is on-going and people of goodwill are hopeful of the emergence of a new VC from this transparent process.
“Prof Fasina did not collect double salaries anywhere. This case is already in court and it is sub-judice to make it a subject of discussion in the media. The EFCC, the 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.
“I, recently, head-hunted a Professor of Political Science from EKSU. This is someone I don’t know prior coming to FUOYE and had no other relationship. The VC bent backwards to recruit this Ekiti Scholar by giving his personal resources to this gentleman so that he can exit his previous employment contract. Where then is the ethnic bias? Where also is the nepotism?
“It should be noted here that the operative phrase is: preferably federal and this connotes a measure of inclusion. Times are changing, challenges are changing so are required skills to perform creditably.”
