… As 9-Man Investigation Panel Accused Of Conniving With Fasina Aides
… Abruptly Changes Abuja Venue To Shut Out Victim
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By Joseph Sunday
Attempts to frustrate the efforts of the victim of sexual harassment by the 9-man Investigations Panel set up by the Governing Council of the Federal University, Oye Ekiti has been exposed as two aides loyal to the Vice Chancellor, Professor Abayomi Fasina were accused of conniving with members of the Panel to abruptly changed the Abuja venue to prevent Mrs Adebayo from appearing before them.
Findings made by Treasure Newspaper revealed that, on Friday, the victim of the FUOYE sexual harassment on arriving at the venue stated in her invitation letter and waiting endlessly, suddenly realized that the Committee had moved its venue to a different location without informing her despite officially inviting her to appear.
It was at the moment it dawned on the victim of the FUOYE sexual harassment, Engineer Adebayo Folashade that the 9-member Investigation Panel constituted by Governing Council of the Federal University, Oye Ekiti under the supervision of its Chairman, Senator Udo Udoma has deliberately changed the venue of the hearing probably to prevent her from testifying in the sexual harassment case against the School’s Vice Chancellor, Professor Sunday Fasina.
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Feelers around the victim of the sexual harassment said the 9-member Investigation Panel are already compromised as revealed through their body language. “Most especially, for failing to properly communicate the change of the venue to her. The feelers also revealed that someone else told victim the said venue has been changed.
Also, “additional claims indicated that the Investigation Panel members are already acting in favour of the Vice Chancellor, Professor Abayomi Fasina.
According to sources, Adebayo was denied the opportunity to present witnesses to back her allegations, while Fasina, despite being absent, was allowed to have two representatives testified against her.
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“Fasina sent his Secretary and one Mr. Shobowale to give testimony against Adebayo,” a source alleged.
“Shobowale is his Special Assistant who lectures in the Faculty of Engineering, Computer Engineering Department at FUOYE.”
The source alleged that the Panel was compromised and operating under undue influence
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“The source queried why the Panel would suddenly change the venue of a sitting without informing the person they have invited to appear them? It also queried why they would deny her the right to bring witnesses but allow only Fasina’s representatives to speak on his behalf?”
“When you invite someone to a Panel to give testimony and interrogates her, it is believed that the Panel is willfully and truthfully without bias given all parties involved a flat ground to take off from.
“You invited the victim to come and testify and answer questions with a specified address and location. On arrival, the location stated in the letter of invitation was deliberately changed and was never communicated to your invitee (Mrs. Adebayo).”
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Sources indicated that the intention was to ensure she missed Panel appointment, thereby lending false credibility to their eventual claim that Adebayo failed to appear, rendering the matter dead on arrival.
The source further alleged that this was a deliberate act by the Panel to distort justice.
Previously, SaharaReporters reported that the Western Zone of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) had expressed dissatisfaction with the terms of reference for the probe panel established by the Governing Council of the university to investigate allegations of sexual harassment against Fasina.
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SSANU called for the suspension of the Vice-Chancellor, as well as the Committee Chairperson, Mrs. Ifeoma Ndukwu, and other members of the panel, including Mr. Olusola Taiwo and Prof. Ajiboye Abiodun.
The Association alleged that all six members of the panel lack the moral and ethical competence to sit on the committee, claiming their roles have been technically and vicariously compromised in the matter.
Meanwhile, efforts by Treasure Newspaper to get reactions from three members of the Panel, namely Mr Olusola Taiwo, Professor A. A. Akintoye and Professor Joshua Olalekan Ogunwole, the FUOYE Deputy Vice Chancellor 3 since on Friday morning failed woefully. Calls made to them were not answered. Messages also sent to them were not equally replied as at the time of filing this report.