From Chuks Moses, Awka
The management of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK) has denied the allegations made by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) that the Pro-Chancellor, Ambassador Greg Mbadiwe, is manipulating the process of selecting a new Vice Chancellor
The Special Adviser to the Vice Chancellor on Information and Public Relations, Dr. Emmanuel Ojukwu, in a reaction to the allegation stated that, “the University will always abide by the rules and regulations guiding the process…. The university will always follow the guidelines for the election of Vice Chancellor.”
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) chapter the school had in a press conference earlier cried out to President Bola Tinubu, the Visitor to the university, to “quickly intervene in the actions of the Pro-Chancellor who is also Chairman of the Governing Council, Ambassador Greg Mbadiwe”.
According to the Union, “the Pro-Chancellor is attempting to impose a pre-selected candidate for the Vice Chancellor position, raising fears of a potential crisis in the institution.
The ASUU Chairperson, Comrade Kingsley Ubaoji, in a statement he issued on Tuesday, urged the Chief of Staff to the President and the Minister of Education to rein in the Pro-Chancellor’s “alarming dictatorial tendencies” to preserve industrial peace on campus.
He disclosed that an unconfirmed report indicated that a meeting convened by the Minister for State for Education, which excluded internal university stakeholders. “The internal members of the Council and ASUU should be present in such discussions. Without their involvement, the meeting lacks completeness and may yield unfruitful results,” Ubaoji emphasized.
He said, “We learnt from unconfirmed information that the Minister for State, following our letters, is inviting the Governing Council of our university to Abuja for a meeting this Friday.
“Unfortunately, we found out that it’s only the external members and the acting VC that were invited to the meeting without the internal component of the University.We feel it’s very wrong because without the internal component of the Council and ASUU members being part of that meeting, then the meeting is incomplete and will be unfruitful.
“It is also important to note that the Acting VC is under the directive of the Pro-Chancellor and may not speak up on welfare of our members. That’s why ASUU members who have always stood for their members welfare should be involved in such meetings,” he said.
He expressed concerns over perceived external political influences aimed at disrupting established processes regarding the appointment of university leadership.
One such issue Ubaoji noted was what he saw as the disregard for procedural governance and asserted that such actions undermine the integrity of the university’s academic community.
“We are also aware that Medical and Dental Consultant Association of Nigeria, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, MDCAN NAUTH, Nnewi has written to council complaining about perceived clause in the advertisement that excludes them from the criteria published. Unfortunately, the chairman of Council has not replied to any of these letters, except for the action by the Acting Vice Chancellor who released the time table for filling the vacant position of Council on 11th September 2024.
“The contentious issue about the advertisement relate to the following: The Master PhD criterion is limiting. The first criterion listed for eligibility is that candidate will have first degree, Master’s degree and a PhD in relevant fields offered by the University.
“Same argument goes for our colleagues in the faculties of Medicine and Basic Clinical Sciences, College of Health Sciences whose carrier progression does not require the Master- PhD pathway, but rather goes through the 6-year double degrees of Medicine and Surgery (MBBS) and 6-10years long Residency Fellowship training, dissertation writing/ defence and examinations by the Postgraduate Medical Colleges, leading to specialisation in the various aspects of Medicine and Surgery and award of the Fellowship of such specialties.The Universities career progression offers them the opportunity of attaining the rank of Professorship with their Fellowship qualifications.”
The ASUU cited “numerous unilateral decisions made by the Pro-Chancellor that violate the principles of democratic governance and accountability.”
The chairperson noted that these actions, if allowed to persist, may lead to serious consequences including institutional instability and damage to the university’s reputation.
