The management of Federal University, Oye Ekiti (FUOYE) has dissociated itself from a viral report by some online media platforms projecting a leadership crisis in the university.
A statement signed by the Public Relations Officer of the university, Foluso Ogunmodede, called on security agencies to investigate false media reports on the university.
The statement cited an official report by the Registrar of FUOYE, Mr. Mufutau Ibrahim, which specifically questions the intention of media outfits, “plotting to mischievously disparage the persons and positions of the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Governing Council, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba and the substantive Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Abayomi Sunday Fasina.”
The Registrar described the report as “unfounded and lacking merit.”
He called on the security agencies to investigate the sources of the report with a view to bringing the author of the report to justice.
Also, it asked the university community to discountenance the report as it didn’t emanate from “the authorities of the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti.
The statement reads: “The management of the Federal University Oye-Ekiti wishes to dissociate itself from the stories in some online media platforms in which they mischievously attempted to disparage the persons and positions of the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba and the Vice-Chancellor of the University, Prof Sunday Abayomi Fasina.
“One of the stories purportedly relied on a spurious Press Statement issued by nameless individuals through a document not signed by anyone, contrary to all known principles of journalism.
“The other issue is that the phoney Press Statement referred to by the reporter was not derived from the decision of Senate of the university and more importantly, the Senate did not at any time indict the Pro-Chancellor or the Vice-Chancellor over recruitment or any such matter.
“Also, it is not in the culture of the Senate of the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti to address a Press Conference after its meetings and at no time did Senate ask any group of persons to issue Press Statement on its behalf.
“The Registrar and Secretary to Council is the one who has the statutory power to disseminate the decisions of Senate, if any.
“In this instance, the Registrar did not sign the document used mischievously and neither did it emanate from the Senate, nor the Senate has anything to do with the fake document.
“We, therefore, wish to inform the University Community and the general public that the information purportedly used to craft the publication did not emanate from the Authorities of the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti.
“Therefore, the content of the entire publication should be disregarded completely.
“Consequently, we implore relevant security agencies to investigate the sources of the fake documents that the reporter attributed to the distinguished Senate of the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti and apply the necessary force of the law to ensure a redress in the matter.”
Meanwhile, the Acting Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Olubunmi Shittu, has pledged his unalloyed loyalty to the Pro-Chancellor and other distinguished members of the Governing Council and the substantive Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Fasina.
The statement quoted the acting Vice-Chancellor saying that the management of FUOYE is poised to work hard to ensure that the university continues to maintain its leading position among its peers and become Nigeria’s leading tertiary institution in the areas of research, innovation and development.
