ASUU, EKSU VC fault report on exoneration of Fasina

By Gabriel Dike

Contrary to an online report written by a staff of Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), Ekiti State, using a pseudonym name, management of Ekiti State University (EKSU), Ado-Ekiti says it has not exonerated Prof Abayomi Fasina based on the fact finding committee’s recommendations.

“I am not aware of the exoneration of Prof Fasina and I don’t think my Registrar said those things attributed to him by the online. We have not acted on the recommendations of the fact finding committee,’’ Prof Edward Olanipekun, EKSU Vice Chancellor told The Education Report.

Based on the petition from the counsel to the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and directive from the Minister of Education, EKSU management constituted a four-man committee to look into the alleged collection of double salary and abscondment against Prof Fasina.

In their interim report which was forwarded to the minister, the committee recommended that Prof Fasina should refund the double salary he received, be recalled back to EKSU from FUOYE and made to face the university Senior Staff Disciplinary Committee.

The FUOYE lecturer in the published online story claimed that the EKSU Registrar, Mr. Akin Arogundade,  exonerated Prof Fasina and even claimed ignorance of his indictment.

Prof Olanipekun, who confirmed the existence of the fact finding report, said going by the workings of the university, the registrar cannot make the statement that has been attributed to him by the online report.

The EKSU VC explained that because of the urgency to brief the minister of education, an interim report of the fact finding committee was forwarded to him.

He said: ‘’I don’t think the registrar made such comments. The fact finding committee has not finished its job. Prof Fasina and those concerns will be invited to appear before another panel. The ongoing strike by ASUU has slowed down the process. Very soon, the recommendations will be handled by another committee. It is not true that my registrar exonerated Prof Fasina without the final outcome. The fact finding committee has done it job and the next line of action will follow afterwards.’’

In his reaction to the alleged exoneration of Prof Fasina, counsel to ASUU, Mr. Bayo Idowu, said knowing how the university system works, EKSU registrar cannot give him a clean bill because the four-man committee found him wanting.

Idowu revealed that when in July 2020, he wrote EKSU management demanding certain documents; it was the same registrar who provided the necessary documents and wondered why he would turn around to exonerate Fasina.

“How can the registrar provide vital documents against Prof Fasina and turn round to clear him without the knowledge of the vice chancellor. On whose authority did he act? He is a lawyer and knows the recommendations of the committee. It is not in his powers to exonerate Fasina,’’ Idowu stated. 

Recall that EKSU Registrar in a letter dated July 8, 2020 to Idowu made available payslips of Prof. Fasina in the university for October, November and December 2016, adding ‘’the payslips for the month of January, February and September 2017 were also attached. The details of November 2016 salary are contained in the payslip of December 2016 as arrears.’’ 

The lecturer going by the pseudonym name Kehinde Adewole, said Arogundade exonerated Prof. Fasina and claimed that Prof. L.K. Olofintoye-led committee didn’t indict him.     

Reacting to the false online publication, EKSU Registrar, Mr. Arogundade, described the writer as a liar and asked, “When and where did I speak with him?  He must be a liar. It is not true, where did I make the statement that he is quoting, where is the document?  These are lies.

“I don’t even know him. These are fabricated lies.  Yes, they are fabricated lies.  It is not from me.

The registrar also revealed that he heard as a rumour that he addressed a press conference and kicked against what ASUU Akure Zone said about Prof.  Fasina.

“They said the registrar countered ASUU statement. Even if I am not a lawyer, can a registrar hold press conference on official matter without clearance from the VC or chairman of council?  Does it mean I don’t know what I am doing to addresse the press on an official matters, without clearance from the VC or council chairman?  So, these are lies.”