Federal varsity VC says Fayose after his life over Edo governorship election

Kayode Soremekun, vice-chancellor of the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), has accused Ayodele Fayose, governor of Ekiti, of threatening his life.

Speaking with journalists on Friday, Soremekun said Fayose had been after his life since serving as the chief returning officer in the Edo governorship election where Godwin Obaseki of the All Progressives Congress (APC) defeated Osagie Ize-Iyamu, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The vice-chancellor alleged that during the polls, Fayose put pressure on him to favour Ize-Iyamu.

He accused the governor of trying to destabilise the university by supporting union leaders against him.

Soremekun also alleged that on one occasion, Fayose personally tore the banner of the university’s convocation.

“He (Fayose) ordered his convoy to stop and tore the banner of our convocation. He said it was not properly done, he alighted himself and tore it by himself before proceeding on his journey,” the vice-chancellor said.

“The unionists were becoming so unruly in recent time. In fact, they beat up some lecturers and we called for their arrest only for the secretary to the state government (SSG) to bail them out acting on governor’s directive.”

But reacting to the allegations, Fayose speaking through Lere Olayinka, his media aide, said apart from maintaining peace and protecting the rights of Ekiti residents, he has no business with the university.

“Beyond maintaining peace and protecting the rights of all residents of Ekiti state, governor Fayose does not have any business with federal university, Oye Ekiti. The vice-chancellor is the one that should search his conscience whether or not he is doing the right thing concerning the management of the university,” he said.

“Be that as it may, it sounds so illogical that the head of a university will stand before the press to say that university staff members should be arrested and detained by the police for protesting.”