The Federal University, Oye Ekiti, Ekiti State, has cleared a female student, Ramota Olahanloye, to graduate following the re-marking of her final-year examination scripts.

Olahanloye had alleged that a lecturer, Dr. Anthony Agbegbedia, demanded sexual favours from her, and when she declined, he deliberately failed her in two final-year courses.

In a statement issued on Friday by the Special Adviser on Media to the Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Wole Balogun, the university confirmed that Olahanloye’s allegations were investigated, and her scripts were re-marked.

“The young lady’s scripts were re-marked, and she performed fairly better than the scores initially awarded by Dr. Anthony Agbegbedia,” the statement read.

According to Balogun, the university management approved Olahanloye’s revised results, which qualified her for graduation.

“The university management has given executive approval for her results to be processed. She has since commenced her final clearance from relevant units of the university,” the statement added.

Balogun also disclosed that Agbegbedia had been sanctioned by the institution for his misconduct.

Olahanloye expressed her joy over the resolution of the case, saying, “I am happy that I have gotten justice, and I really appreciate the university Vice-Chancellor for setting up the committee that investigated the matter.

“I was shown my entire results, including the graduation list with my name on it. I have started my clearance as a graduating student of the university, and I am truly happy.”

Her father, Rasaki Olahanloye, also lauded the university for its commitment to justice.

“I can confirm to the world that FUOYE has served justice to my daughter. I was shown her upgraded results after her scripts were re-marked, and it is clear that she passed.

“The university fulfilled its promise to ensure fairness, and I appreciate the VC, Prof. Sunday Fasina, and the committee members for ensuring my daughter gets justice,” he said.

The Northern Elders’ Forum (NEF) has endorsed the stand taken by the Northern States Governors’ Forum in conjunction with the Northern Nigeria Council of Traditional Rulers, about the proposed Tax Reform Bill by President Bola Tinubu.

The 19 state governors in the Northern region had aired their strong displeasure on the recent Tax Reform Bill the Federal Government submitted to the National Assembly for approval.

The governors particularly rejected the proposed shift to a Derivation-based Model for Value Added Tax distribution.

They claimed that the proposed model would be at the disadvantage of the northern states and other less industrial regions.

The governors, under the auspices of the Northern States Governors’ Forum, voiced their strong opposition in a communique issued after a strategic meeting in Kaduna in October.

However, NEF Board of Trustees during its Second Bi-Annual Meeting on Wednesday November 20th, 2024 at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Center, Abuja, reaffirmed the NEF’s strong opposition to this pernicious policy.

According to a statement, NEF maintained, that, in its present form, the Tax Reform Bill is conceived in bad faith, poorly packaged and it is a palpable threat to their unity and national cohesion.

The forum in a communique signed by Professor Ango Abdullahi, its Convener and released on Saturday, condemned the conspicuous loss of voice on the burning issue by the elected lawmakers in the National Assembly from the region.

The communique partly reads; “The meeting unanimously endorsed the patriotic stand taken on the raging national debate about the Tax Reform Bill by the Northern States Governors’ Forum in conjunction with the Northern Nigeria Council of Traditional Rulers, just as it reaffirmed the NEF’s strong opposition to this pernicious policy.

“In addition, the meeting seriously maintained, that, in its present form, the Tax Reform Bill is conceived in bad faith, poorly packaged and it is a palpable threat to our unity and national cohesion. The Meeting proceeded by drawing attention to the brazen cavalier way and suspicious manner in which the Tax Reform Bill was imposed on the nation, without allowing the inputs of critical stakeholders, even as it kept members of the National Economic Council in the dark, thus; confirming the sinister intentions of those promoting this outrageous Bill.

“The Board-in-session, condemned in very strong terms, the conspicuous loss of voice on this burning issue by the overwhelming number of elected politicians in the National Assembly from the region, and fiercely warned, that indeed, the days are fast gone, when such conspiratorial connivance against the vital and strategic interest of the region, either by those within or outside the region, would be condoned or even tolerated.”

The Senate leadership, under Godswill Akpabio, appears to have snubbed the family of the late senator representing Anambra South Senatorial District, Ifeanyi Ubah, as top sources confirmed the alleged abnormalities from the Upper Chamber to the deceased’s family.

It was gathered that the Senate leadership failed to set up a committee to liase with the family or the national burial committee.

Sources disclosed further that the Senate leadership never contacted the burial committee or the family to make input in the preparation of their late colleague’s burial.

It was reported that Ubah who represented the Anambra South Senatorial District at the National Assembly was laid to rest on Friday in his hometown, Otolo Nnewi in Anambra State.

Ubah who was re-elected into the 10th Senate under the Young Progressives Party in 2023 but defected to the All Progressives Congress, died in London on July 27.

Dignitaries at the event were; the Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi; Senator Orji Uzor Kalu of Abia North; former Senate President Bukola Saraki and Senator Victor Umeh of the Anambra Central district.

Speaking, one of the sources revealed that only two of the nine Senators that attended the burial are from outside the South-East region.

The source said, “Despite the eye service and pretences exhibited by the Senate President on Tuesday, 19th Nov during the Senate valedictory session for the late Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, the leadership of the Senate abandoned the late Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, their colleague who died as a serving Senator, despite being a member of their party, the ruling APC.

“The Senate leadership failed to set up committee to liase with the family or the National burial committee. The Senate leadership never contacted the burial committee or the family to make input in the preparation of their fallen colleague.

“They did not contribute a kobo to the committee throughout the preparation for the burial and the burial proper. Also, the Senate leadership never sent any delegation to Nnewi on 22nd November 2024 to mourn their departed colleague that died in active service.”

Speaking further, another source corroborated, “Senator Osita Ngwu, the Senate Minority Whip that attended the burial was because of his personal relationship with the late Senator Ifeanyi Ubah and also the fact that Senator Osita Ngwu’s wife is from same village (Otolo-Nnewi) with Senator Ubah.

“Total of 9 Senators out of 109 Senators attended the burial namely Senator Abaribe Enyinnaya, Senator Osita Ngwu(Inlaw to Senator Ubah), Senator Izunaso, Senator Okey Ezea, Senator Victor Umeh, Senator Benson Agadaga, Senator Tony Nwoye, Senator Pam from Plateau and Senator Kelvin Chukwu.

“It is worthy of note that 7 Senators out of the 9 Senators that attended the burial are from the South East; only 2 Senators outside South East attended namely Senator Pam from Plateau and Senator Agadaga from Bayelsa.”

“No single Senator from Yoruba extraction, North West and also North East attended the burial, while South South and North Central had only 1 Senator each,” another Senate source said.

“In the Christian parlance, the highest respect someone can pay a departed friend is to pay him last respect by attending the burial especially the burial mass/church service.

“What the Leadership of the Senate did to Senator Ifeanyi Ubah at death who they were dinning and enjoying with when he was alive leaves much to be desired and has exposed them as chamelonic fair weather friends.”

Another source close to the family added, “They did not contribute any kobo for his burial arrangements. They did not talk to or liaise with the burial committee for arrangements or preparations.”

“During the Mass, no senator spoke in the church or on behalf of the Nigerian Senate as tradition demands.”

“The Senate leadership discouraged senators from attending the burial citing nonexistent security concerns. Also, the wife of the Senate President who leads the Senators Wives Forum never sent any delegation to Nnewi or condole with Mrs Uche Ubah,” the source added.

It was reported that Senator Ubah, an All Progressives Congress (APC) stalwart, died in a hotel in London, the United Kingdom in July.

The Senators had held a valedictory session on Tuesday in honour of the late senator.

Attempts to get the reactions of the Senate were not successful as of the time of filing this report.