A total of 18 persons applied for the Vice-chancellorship appointment, and, 15 of them attended the interview and were accordingly scored and the score sheet properly documented
By Okechukwu Obeta, Awka
The Ambassador Greg Mbadiwe-led Governing Council of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, Anambra state has insisted that the recent appointment of the university’s Vice-chancellor and Registrar were done strictly in compliance with the provisions of the Act establishing the institution.
A letter signed by one Mrs R. G. Ilyasu on behalf of the permanent secretary, Ministry of Education dated 1st November, 2024, addressed to the pro-chancellor and chairman of the UNIZIK’s governing council had voided the appointment of two top management positions of the university.
The permanent secretary according to the letter had directed that any further actions to make the two appointments should be kept on hold pending when the newly appointed Minister of Education assumes office claiming that the governing Council made the appointments without carrying along the necessary stakeholders as required in the Acts establishing the institution.
A former secretary to the Ebonyi state government (SSG) Professor Bernard Odoh was on Tuesday, 29, 2024 appointment Vice-chancellor of the UNIZIK.
Few days before Prof Odoh’s appointment, the Governing Council had as well appointment Barr . Mrs R. I. Nwokike as the Registrar of the university from the University of Nigeria Nsukka, Enugu state.
Countering the permanent secretary, Ministry of Education that the processes leading to the two appointments were in contravention of the stipulated process, particularly that of the VC, the management in a letter addressed to the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education (Department of University Education) dated also 1st November, 2024, signed by the UNIZIK’s registrar, Barr Mrs R. I. Nwokike insisted on the contrary.
“Due process was meticulously observed throughout the selection and appointment process for both the Vice-chancellor (Professor Bernard Odoh) and the Registrar (Barr. Mrs R. I. Nwokike), the UNIZIK’s management statement partly read.
According to the letter a total of 18 persons applied for the Vice-chancellorship appointment, and, 15 of them attended the interview and were accordingly scored and the score sheet properly documented.
The management also faulted the claim that quorum was not formed, stating “the quorum was duely constituted in compliance with the statutory requirements set forth in the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Act, Cap. 139 (as amended) LFN, 2004. In accordance with section 6(a) of the standing order of the Governing Council”.
It stated that the quorum as required under the university’s Act mandates five members of the Governing Council including one of the following: Vice-chancellor or deputy Vice-chancellor, appointee of the visitor, and,one appointee of the senate adding the in addition to a documented list of attendance, pictures of the members who participated in the selection of the Vice-chancellor were available.
The university management further stated that the selection of Prof Odoh as VC was carried out in compliance with a judgement of a Court of competent jurisdiction that ordered the Governing Council to conduct the exercise.
Meanwhile, protests by the university’s branch of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and about two separate Court actions by aggrieved parties have trailed the Prof. Odoh’s appointment as the VC of the institution.
But, sources in the institution said the action were deliberately initiated to distract the new VC stating that such had happened to some similar appointments in the past, and, that at the end of the day the appointments were later sustained.