Inside FUOYE’s Power Struggle: How Fasina’s Return and a Rushed Council Process May Produce a “Chosen VC”

B. A.  Oyewole | Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria

Compressed 10-day selection sparks outrage; embattled VC allegedly boasts Ogunwole will continue his legacy.

Fresh tension is mounting within the Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE) as the Governing Council, chaired by Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, races to conclude the process of appointing a new Vice-Chancellor amid allegations of manipulation, secrecy, and an unusually compressed timetable designed to favour a predetermined candidate, Professor Joshua Ogunwole.

Rushed Process Raises Questions

According to official documents sighted by reporters, the revised timetable for the Vice-Chancellorship selection process spans barely ten days, from October 27 to November 5, 2025, despite nearly 100 applicants seeking the post.

The Search Committee has been given only two days to identify and shortlist candidates, while the Selection Committee has just two days to conduct interviews and make final recommendations.

Senior university sources describe the schedule as “a deliberate rush to announce a pre-selected successor.” They allege that the compressed timeline was crafted to pave the way for Prof. Joshua Ogunwole, a former Vice-Chancellor of Bowen University, who is rumoured to have already secured the council’s backing.

‘Ogunwole Is the Next VC’, Embattled VC Reportedly Boasts

Prof. J. Ogunwole 

Adding fuel to the controversy, insiders claim that the embattled Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Abayomi Sunday Fasina, has been openly boasting that Ogunwole will emerge as the next VC, describing him as “a no-nonsense person who will continue my work.”

Many staff interpret this as proof that the process has been compromised. “The timetable was designed for speed, not fairness,” a senior staff member told this reporter. “Everything points to a pre-arranged outcome.”

Return of FASINA and Renewed Turmoil 

Fasina’s dramatic return from what insiders described as an “inglorious leave” has further deepened divisions within FUOYE. Witnesses said he arrived on campus in an open-roof vehicle, accompanied by thugs, police escorts, and motorbike riders brandishing weapons, an event staff member has called “a shameful show of force.”

Since his resumption, Fasina has allegedly reshuffled several revenue-generating units, including the Part-Time Institute, JUPEB, Pre-Degree, and Affiliate Programmes, appointing loyalists who are accused of remitting proceeds directly to him.

He also reportedly received ₦37 million as annual leave allowance and ₦16 million as research leave grant, despite just returning from a six-month research leave. Critics say his return was motivated by the need to retain influence over the university’s finances and ensure his preferred candidate’s emergence.

Council Meetings Moved to Abuja

Further suspicion has trailed the Council’s decision to relocate its meetings from FUOYE’s Ekiti State campus to the private office of the chairman, Senator Ndoma-Egba, in Abuja.

This move, insiders argue, contravenes the White Paper recommendations of the university’s Visitation Panel, which stipulate that council meetings must be held within the university’s host state.

“The relocation is part of the grand design,” said one insider. “Abuja provides cover for decisions that cannot withstand scrutiny.”

Financial Allegations and Mismanagement

The crisis deepens with renewed allegations of financial impropriety. Reports allege that over ₦1.18 billion, paid by students for a Smart School Internet Project, was withdrawn during Fasina’s leave, with the joint approval of the VC and the Council chairman, with no visible infrastructure delivered. The 10-year MoU with the private consultant was allegedly signed without the university’s legal adviser’s participation, raising concerns about due process and accountability.

Fasina is also accused of replacing the university’s admissions officer with a close ally to facilitate the sale of remaining admission slots, a practice insiders describe as “immoral and destructive to institutional credibility.”

Applicants Threaten to Petition the Visitor

In response to the alleged manipulation, several candidates vying for the Vice-Chancellorship have vowed to petition the Visitor to the University, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, if the process continues under the current timetable and structure.

The aggrieved applicants insist that the ongoing exercise undermines merit and transparency, threatening to escalate their grievances to the Federal Ministry of Education and the National Universities Commission (NUC) if urgent corrective measures are not taken.

“It’s a carefully choreographed imposition,” one applicant said. “We will not watch silently while FUOYE’s integrity is traded for politics and personal gain.”

FUOYE’s Future at Stake

As the Council races toward its November 5 deadline, the atmosphere in FUOYE is tense and uncertain. Many fear that the outcome of the Vice - Chancellorship selection could either restore credibility to the institution or plunge it deeper into crisis.

“The peace and stability of FUOYE are hanging by a thread,” said a senior academic. “What the university needs now is reform, not repetition of past mistakes.”

Stakeholders are urging the Federal Government to intervene immediately to safeguard transparency, fairness, and institutional integrity before irreversible damage is done to the university’s reputation.

Editor’s Note:

All allegations contained in this report are based on information provided by credible university sources. Efforts to obtain official responses from the FUOYE Governing Council and the Office of the Vice-Chancellor were still ongoing at press time.