The management of Federal University Oye Ekiti (FUOYE) has denied reports circulating on some online platforms that its Vice Chancellor, Prof Joshua Ogunwole, was arrested and held in police custody in Abuja following his role in the Osun State governorship election.
Dr Sunday Saanu, the university's Director of Communications and Public Affairs, described the claims as "entirely false, baseless, and deliberately fabricated."
University Clarifies Vice Chancellor's Whereabouts
According to The Punch, Saanu made this known in a statement issued in Ado Ekiti on Wednesday, August 19, 2026. Ogunwole had served as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chief Returning Officer for the recently concluded Osun governorship election, during which he declared incumbent governor Ademola Adeleke as the winner.
According to the Vanguard, the university said Ogunwole departed Oye Ekiti on Monday, August 17, 2026, and travelled to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to handle what the institution described as "critical administrative and institutional matters affecting the university."
Saanu said at no point has the Vice Chancellor been held by any security agency. "Prof Ogunwole has not been arrested, detained, or invited by the police or any other security agency in connection with his official duties as Returning Officer or for any other reason," he stated.
The university added that Ogunwole "remains free, fully engaged in his duties as VC, and continues to work diligently and round the clock to reposition FUOYE for greater academic excellence and institutional growth."
FUOYE Condemns Spread of Fake News
FUOYE's management said the false reports appeared to be a deliberate attempt to cause panic within the university community, among the people of Osun State, and among the general public. "It is deeply regrettable that some individuals chose to spread fabricated stories aimed at causing unnecessary anxiety," the statement read, adding that "the university management strongly condemns this reckless dissemination of fake news."
Members of the public were urged to disregard the reports completely and to treat unverified social media claims with caution before sharing them. The institution said it remains committed to transparency and will continue to issue accurate updates on matters that concern its leadership.
Vice Chancellor Declared Adeleke Winner
Recall that Professor Ogunwole declared Ademola Adeleke winner of the 2026 Osun governorship election at 7:24am on Sunday, August 16, 2026. Ogunwole, the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University Oye-Ekiti, served as the State Returning Officer for the poll. The professor has a distinguished academic career spanning several Nigerian universities and international research fellowships.
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that INEC's returning officer declared Accord candidate Adeleke the winner of the Osun State governorship election. Adeleke polled 511,067 votes against APC's Bola Oyebamiji, who scored 444,815 votes in the keenly contested poll. Nigerians took to social media to share strong reactions to the result, with many linking the outcome to the 2027 general elections.
