FUOYE VC, Registrar risk imprisonment over contempt of court

Contempt proceedings to commit Vice-Chancellor of Federal University Oye Ekiti (FUOYE), Prof. Abayomi Sunday Fasina, and the institution’s Acting Registrar, Mr. Mufutau Ibrahim, to prison for contempt of court have been activated at the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN), Akure, Ondo State.

Suit No. NICN/AK/21/2019, Between OMONIJO Akinyemi Gabriel and FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OYE EKITI (FUOYE)

Court papers sighted by News Express indicate that notice of contempt against the duo was filed on March 10, while tomorrow, Thursday, June 16, 2022, has been fixed for hearing.

The contempt is in connection with Suit No. NICN/AK/21/2019, Between Omonijo Akinyemi Gabriel and Federal University Oye Ekiti (FUOYE), Ekiti State, being handled by Lagos law firm, Falana & Falana Chambers.

The suit arises from the failure by FUOYE to obey the NICN’s judgement which mandated it to recall Dr. Akinyemi Gabriel Omonijo, Chairperson of the FUOYE Branch of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU-FUOYE), from indefinite suspension without pay since February 2019.

Dr. Omonijo had been suspended without pay on account of unionism but he sought redress at NICN Akure. However, the FUOYE Management approached him and the ASUU-FUOYE for an out-of-court settlement during the pendency of the case before His Lordship, Hon. Justice K. D. Damulak.

The institution, however, introduced fresh conditions for Omonijo’s reinstatement, which he rejected, insisting on implementation of the agreement signed by both parties in court as a condition to discontinue the original suit.