14th April, 2022
A group, Project Ekiti, has carpeted the administration of Governor Kayode Fayemi, for attacking the personality of the governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Chief Segun Oni, over his call for the reinstatement of the sacked staff of the Ekiti State University.
Oni had pleaded with the Fayemi-led administration to reverse the disengagement of the university staff, which he described as unfair and a failure of due process.
The state government, however, through a statement by one Segun Dipe, took a swipe at Oni and tagged his statement on the issue as “misspeak and show of incompetence”.
But reacting to the state government’s response, Project Ekiti in a statement signed by its spokesperson, Comrade Tope Idowu, and made available to newsmen during the week, described the response that the said workers were disengaged but not sacked, as “childish, myopic, wicked, misleading, misinforming and a deliberate attempt to cover up the truth.
According to the group, Fayemi and the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abiodun Oyebanji, were trying to mock the people’s sensibility.
Project Ekiti argued that Oni’s plea was neither out of place nor political, but an expression of sincere concern as a stakeholder in the state.
“The statement reads: “Chief Segun Oni’s plea is not out of place, neither is it political. The management of EKSU had on December 5, 2019 disengaged some workers, claiming offences ranging from certificate forgery to irregular appointment, and age falsification.
“Meanwhile, the said appointment was made by the then Vice-Chancellor, Prof Bamidele, under the administration of Ayo Fayose. But when Dr. Fayemi took over the administration of the State, and appointed Prof (Mrs) Olubunmi Ajayi, as the Acting Vice-Chancellor, and Prof Bantale Omole as the Chairman of the Council, who on the instruction of Dr. Fayemi set up an auditing panel, a panel whose members are not from a university community.
“The governing council has the Secretary to the State Government, Abiodun Oyebanji (the current Governorship Candidate of APC) as the representative of Mr Governor, the Finance Commissioner, the Education Commissioner, and Prof Tale Omole as the Chairman of the Council. Therefore, it is unbelievable to what extent the Fayemi-led administration could go in deceiving the people.
“How a government that practically dominates a university council would be claiming that the University is autonomous. The supposed auditing committee (even through kangaroo) had not submitted its report and was in one of its sittings when Mr. Abiodun Oyebanji, the man who is being packaged as the candidate of APC in the coming governorship election walked into the committee’s meeting unannounced and threatened that heads will roll if the report was not submitted that particular day.
“Ordinarily, the report of the committee ought to have been subjected to a Council Committee for a recommendation, before implementation, but rather, the report was implemented before Mr Oyebanji and Prof Bantale thought of setting up a Council Committee. An instance of acting before thinking. The only person who has displayed the highest level of ignorance, incompetence, and ineptitude is Mr. Oyebanji, the man being projected by the APC as the next governor of Ekiti State.
“Mr. Oyebanji should have known better that no government organization/establishment disengages workers without giving at least one month’s notice, and with pay to the affected person(s), after due process must have been followed. Unfortunately, he lacks administrative knowledge. No wonder Fayemi’s administration cannot be regarded as a successful administration. The disengagement of the innocent workers never followed due process, and it was never the decision of the entire council. The whole process was scripted by the Fayemi led administration and acted by Mr Oyebanji and Prof Omole. Hence, the autonomy of the university was never respected.
“Instead of APC/Fayemi led Administration to keep wasting time and State’s resources trying to, change the narrative, and further confuse the people, we would suggest they send Oyebanji to a leadership school, against subsequent elections, since the incompetent Oyebanji seem to be the best of all in APC and none other can represent the party in the election except him. Governor Fayemi claims he wants the best for the Ekiti people, and since Oyebanji who lacks administrative knowledge and understanding is his definition of the best, one would come to the conclusion that Governor Fayemi never meant well for the people of Ekiti State. God forbid Oyebanji becomes governor of Ekiti State, retrenchment awaits the workers”.