Fraud allegation: I maintained higher moral standard as UniIIorin VC – Oloyede

The immediate past Vice-Chancellor, University of Ilorin, Professor Is-haq Oloyede, on Sunday, said the allegation of fraud levelled against him while in office was “pure wind with no solidity”, saying he maintained higher moral pedestal throughout his tenure.

Oloyede, who is the Registrar of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), was reacting to allegation of N2billion fraud levelled against him and his successor, Professor AbdulGaniyu Ambali, filed by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASSU), before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), last Thursday.

ASSU in the petition alleged that the duo of Oloyede and Ambali were involved in fraudulent practices bordering on pension fraud and other financial and economic crimes.

Oloyede said he never knew any Pension Funds Administrators (PFAs) while in office and that he could not be a beneficiary of salaries deducted or saved in any employee’s account.

He explained that the “Pension Act of 2004 provided that 7.5 per cent of emoluments should be deducted from staff salaries and remitted into their pension accounts with Pension Funds Administrators. Most universities, including University of Ilorin, did so based on the calculation of 7.5 per cent on basic salary and transport allowance. This was the case between July 2004 and December 2006 before I became the vice-chancellor.

“I know no PFA and if salaries were deducted and saved in employees’ accounts, I would not be a beneficiary.”

He submitted that he introduced the practice of publishing the financial transactions of the university every Monday, while in office.

Oloyede added, “I do not claim perfection as it is the exclusive right of the Almighty Allah, but I dare say I stand on a higher moral pedestal than ‘the 49 liars’ and their masters.

“I am extremely selective in accepting gifts from even personal friends. My needs are limited and my legitimate income is sufficient to spend on my volunteer work. I have never in my life collected bribe, inflated contracts, extorted anyone nor accepted gifts beyond “Thank you” greeting cards from any contractor dead or alive.

“This statement is just to re-assure my admirers that the allegations against me are like pure wind with no solidity. I remain who I have ever been by the special grace of Allah, the Almighty.”