The Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and immediate past Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Prof Is-haq Oloyede, has said that he has never collected bribe in his life.
This is as he denied the allegation of over N2bn fraud leveled against him by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) threatening legal action.
In a statement he personally signed on Saturday, Oloyede said the petitioners were ’49 liars’ pursuing satanic objective of distracting him from the national assignment which they protested against but failed.
Oloyede served as vice chancellor of the University of Ilorin between 2008 and 2012 before he was appointed JAMB Registrar in August 2016 by President Muhammadu Buhari alongside 16 other heads of parastatals and agencies under the Federal Ministry of Education.
The union in the petition jointly signed by the Ibadan Zonal Chairmen Ade Adejumo, and Deji Omole of the University of Ibadan last Thursday to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) accused Oloyede of the fraud during his tenure as vice chancellor.
Other signatories are Biodun Olaniran of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Dauda Adeshina of Kwara State University and Kayode Afolayan of the University of Ilorin.
The petitioners alleged that Oloyede and his successor, the incumbent Vice Chancellor, Prof. Abdulganiyu Ambali, were involved in fraud totaling more than N2 billion maong other illegalities.
Oloyede in the statement however denied all the allegations, saying he has never taken bribe, extorted anyone, inflated contracts nor accepted gifts from any contractor, and insisted that he operated a transparent system within the period he served the university as a vice chancellor.
“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,” Oloyede said.
While explain the legitimacy and transparency of his actions during his tenure as VC, the JAMB boss however urged the EFCC to investigate the allegations and take necessary action after establishing the truthfulness or otherwise of the case brought before it by the union.
He added that his explanation does not foreclose the possibility of legal action against the petitioners and their willing collaborators, Daily Trust reports.
