Youth under the auspices of Coalition of Youth for Development and Advancement in Ekiti State have called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to outrightly annul the appointment of Professor Joshua Ogunwole, as the Vice Chancellor- Designate of the Federal University, Oye Ekiti (FUOYE), threatening to embark on a 90- day protest, if the demand is treated with levity.
Speaking pointedly, the coalition accused the outgoing Vice Chancellor, Prof Sunday Fashina and the Chairman, Governing Council of the University, Senator Ndoma Egba of scheming qualified candidates out of the race and manipulated the process to favour their preferred candidate.
The youth called on President President to immediately reverse the appointment and saddle the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, to midwife a thoroughly supervised process that will produce a more competent academic that will transform the citadel of learning into a wold class status, in line with University (Miscellaneous Provisions) Amendment Act 2003.
The coalition spoke through a statement signed by its convener, Com. Deji Omobulejo, a copy of which was made available to journalists in Ado Ekiti, on Friday.
For the 90 days massive protest, the youth threatened to storm the university and all education regulatory Ministry and agencies in Abuja to press home their demands as Nigerians , who are demanding justice in this matter.
“Should these grave injustice remain unaddressed and the fraudulent appointment of Professor Joshua Ogunwole not reversed within a reasonable timeframe, the National Youth Council of Nigeria, Southern Nigerian Youth Congress, in collaboration with the entire FUOYE staff and students and other relevant stakeholders, will have no alternative but to embark on a continuous, 90-day peaceful protest.
“This protest will be held at the National Assembly (NASS), the Headquarters of the National Universities Commission (NUC), the Federal Ministry of Education, and the Federal University Oye-Ekiti campus itself”, they threatened.
Justifying the call for nullification of the appointment, the coalition posited that the process got vitiated on the premise of gross irregularities, blatant manipulations, and flagrant violations of statutory provisions that characterized the process.
The coalition maintained that while not trying to meddle in the affairs of the institution, but deemed it imperative to speak up, so that the future of the country won’t be harmed nor endangered, when brazen politics was being injected into process for the selection of a Vice Chancellor, which ordinarily should have been apolitical.
The coalition appealed to President Tinubu, Minister of Education, Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Universities Commission and Chairman, Senate Committee on Tertiary Education, to quickly set up a troubleshooting committee to salvage the institution from imminent crisis.
“The future of our youth is directly tied to the quality of education, integrity of institutional governance, and the preservation of meritocracy in our tertiary institutions. We are therefore compelled by duty and conscience to demand immediate intervention in the ongoing charade at FUOYE.
“In light of the above, we most respectfully pray that your esteemed offices initiate a comprehensive investigation into the Vice-Chancellor’s selection process at FUOYE, which has been widely described as a deceitful charade.
“The current Governing Council under Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba should be dissolved for its demonstrated lack of integrity, flagrant disregard for extant laws, and its role in plunging the university into crisis. A new Council should be reconstituted to save the soul of FUOYE.
“The entire fraudulent, secret, and lopsided process that led to the emergence of Prof. Joshua Ogunwole be cancelled immediately, and the letter of appointment issued to him be withdrawn forthwith. We also seek the immediate removal of Prof. Abayomi Fasina and sanctions for all officials involved in the cover-up of scandals and the fraudulent selection process”, the youth demanded.
Laying a solid foundation of how the “charade” called selection allegedly started, the coalition, said : “in the month of August 2025, 1st to be precise, advertisement to fill the position of University Vice chancellorship in preparation for the exit of the current administration was made. The criteria for the advertised position were tailored to suit the profile of Professor Joshua Ogunwole. This was evident in his CV and the letter of the advertisement word for words.
“Also, the fact that he submitted his application on the very first day of the advertisement was placed leads to the irresistible confirmation of the prior speculations that he had prior knowledge of its drafting and specific contents, making him a pre-selected candidate .
“The entire process was shrouded in secrecy and orchestrated with unprecedented haste against the existing procedures and practice in the selection process in the university over the years
“The submission of applications was done only electronically, without providing applicants with acknowledgment of receipt, paving the way for possible manipulation at the backend.A one-week timetable was concocted for a process that should legitimately take 6 to 8 weeks .
“Similarly, the security screening of shortlisted candidates by the Department of State Security was allocated only one day, raising serious doubts about its thoroughness. The conduct of the Governing Council, led by Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, and the management under Prof. Abayomi Fasina, violated established laws and directives”.
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