Rabuka steps back as former FNU Council files complaint against VC with FICAC

Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka says he no longer has anything to do with the current Fiji National University Council and that they will have to deal with the matter themselves.

Rabuka confirms this to fijivillage News in relation to the previous Fiji National University Council after it lodged a formal complaint with the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC) against Vice-Chancellor Unaisi Nabobo-Baba and the Permanent Secretary for National Planning.

The complaint was filed by the former Chair, Semesa Karavaki.

The complaint, lodged on February 9th, calls for urgent action to ensure accountability, with the Council stressing that FNU is funded by taxpayers and that it has a statutory responsibility to exercise oversight of governance matters.

Under the FNU Act, appointments to the Council are made by the line Minister, currently the Minister for Education, Aseri Radrodro.

However, there has already been an instruction that FNU will fall under the Minister for National Planning, a portfolio currently held by the Prime Minister.

Any formal amendment to the Act would require Cabinet approval and passage through Parliament.

The FNU Council, previously led by Chancellor and Chair Semesa Karavaki, had earlier raised concerns that bypassing the University’s lawful governance structure had created uncertainty and fuelled speculation and division within the university community.

Karavaki said the Council’s ongoing work — including the initial stages of a review of the FNU Act and a planned external human resources audit — had been abruptly disrupted.

He stated that central to the Council’s concerns were serious governance issues that predated the recent reassignment of ministerial oversight.

Karavaki confirmed that on 13 January 2026, the Council resolved to address formal complaints against the Vice-Chancellor relating to governance and decision-making processes.

The complaints, submitted by whistleblowers and academic staff, reportedly centred on contentious appointments and the awarding of academic titles within the College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, as well as unilateral engagements with Government on legislative review.

In line with what it described as its fiduciary duty, the Council initiated due process to investigate the allegations thoroughly and impartially.

This included placing the Vice-Chancellor on leave pending investigation and mandating Council oversight for senior appointments.

The Council also expressed concern that a submission to Government, which triggered the reassignment of FNU from the Minister for Education to the Minister for National Planning, was allegedly made unilaterally by the Vice-Chancellor without a Council resolution or its knowledge.

Karavaki said the Council was prepared to engage constructively with the Office of the Prime Minister to support national development objectives.

However, he described the manner in which the significant transition was initiated as deeply troubling.

Karavaki added that the audit initiated by the Council must be allowed to proceed without interference in order to restore confidence and trust within the institution.