A coalition of staff unions at the Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE) has strongly rejected recent allegations made against the university’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Abayomi Sunday Fasina, calling them baseless and malicious.
In a joint statement issued on Tuesday in Ado-Ekiti, members of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Congress of Nigerian Academics (CONUA), Non-Academic Staff of Universities (NASU), and the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) described the claims as a smear campaign orchestrated by disgruntled individuals. The unions stated that the accusations, which were detailed in a communiqué dated 25th November 2024, were politically motivated and lacked credible evidence.
The allegations leveled against Professor Fasina included claims of reversing appointments by reassignment of teaching staff to non-teaching roles, sexual harassment, staff intimidation, abuse of office, administrative recklessness, and poor financial accountability. The communiqué also called for a probe into the university’s finances under his leadership.
However, the union leaders, including Comrade Ayeni Abraham (NASU Chairman, FUOYE Branch), Comrade Dr. Ademola Akinsorotan (CONUA Coordinator, FUOYE), and others, dismissed the accusations, asserting that they were part of a coordinated effort to discredit the Vice-Chancellor ahead of the 2025 Vice-Chancellorship election. They pointed out that similar attempts in 2021 to undermine Professor Fasina had failed when he was appointed as the fourth substantive Vice-Chancellor of FUOYE.
The unions lauded Professor Fasina for his leadership achievements, which they said had provoked the ire of his detractors. They highlighted that under his administration, over 500 non-teaching staff and 100 teaching staff had been promoted, surpassing the records of his predecessors. Additionally, his tenure had seen the implementation of staff welfare initiatives, such as the payment of hazard allowances, subsidized transportation, and remunerated online teaching programs.
Under Professor Fasina’s leadership, FUOYE also experienced significant institutional growth, ranking as the fourth most subscribed university in Nigeria according to JAMB. The university secured millions of dollars in research grants, completed over 90 infrastructural projects, and witnessed a boost in its overall facilities.
Addressing the call for a financial probe, the unions emphasized that the university’s financial management had been transparent and accountable. The FUOYE Governing Council, led by Dr. M. Lawal Yahuza, had commissioned an independent forensic audit, which confirmed the integrity of the administration’s financial practices.
The unions also referenced the recently concluded University Congregation poll in November 2024, which was praised for its openness and fairness, further demonstrating the Vice-Chancellor’s commitment to transparency.
In their statement, the unions urged stakeholders and the public to disregard the allegations, calling them politically motivated and unfounded. They encouraged the university community to continue supporting Professor Fasina’s administration, which they credited with bringing transformative changes to FUOYE.
