ASUU backs Tinubu as UNIZIK VC rejects sacking

The Academic Staff Union of Universities, on Thursday, welcomed President Bola Tinubu’s Wednesday decision sacking the embattled vice-chancellor and the governing board of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State.

The union condemned Prof Bernard Odoh’s appointment as the vice-chancellor of the institution by the governing council in the first instance, describing him as a candidate who did not meet the prerequisites for the position.

The recent controversy surrounding the vice-chancellor of UNIZIK sparked heated discussions as ASUU disagreed over his nomination and appointment, stating that he was not qualified based on merit and qualifications.

Similarly, the Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria declared a seven-day warning strike over the controversy that trailed the nomination exercise and the exclusion of its members.

On Wednesday, the President, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga ordered the dissolution of the governing council and removed Odoh as vice-chancellor and Mrs Rosemary Nwokike as registrar.

Odoh, however, kicked, as he lamented that the mode through which he was removed did not follow due process.

In an interview on Arise TV, monitored by our correspondent, he maintained that he would not accept his removal through a press release, but rather after the recommendations of an investigating council.

“I’m not disobeying Mr President, but it is the governing council that will recommend my sack after investigating me,” he said, adding that “Mr President could have been ill-advised.”

He added, “You can’t fire somebody you didn’t employ. The Visitor (Tinubu) appointed the council and the council followed due process to engage and give me a letter. He can’t remove me through a press release.

“There was no panel of inquiry. I was not appointed through a press release but rather by a constituted authority which followed a straightforward procedure.”

With regards to his confirmation as a professor, Odoh said the allegation was false, saying that when the “lies and fake news” regarding his professorship came up, the then-registrar at the time he was confirmed took his records to the Sokoto State High Court for confirmation.

“What some people did was to pay somebody to remove my records from the university. The VC who appointed me still teaches at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, and he wrote my reference letter,” he added.

Odoh claimed further that his ordeal was tied to being a native of a “third class” state, adding that he would go to the university to ensure that accreditations and activities were properly done.

“I’m from Ebonyi State. We are regarded as third-class people. People feel I’m not qualified because I come from Ebonyi State. People have ganged up to remove me at all costs,” he lamented.

He also said the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, “jumped the gun” with regards to his sack as he (Odoh) had four pending lawsuits filed against him in different courts.

“Those matters are yet to be determined, and now the minister jumped the gun on a matter the Federal Ministry of Education is a party to as defendants. The court hasn’t ruled on this matter. So, I don’t see a basis for all of this noise,” he noted.

The ASUU, however, insisted that Udoh’s qualification to hold the position of vice-chancellor was clouded by inconsistencies in his professional history, particularly regarding his professorship claims.

Its National President, Prof Emmanuel Osodeke, speaking with The PUNCH said Prof Udoh was simultaneously employed as a senior lecturer at UNIZIK and a full professor at another institution, Gusua, in 2015.

The union raised concerns about discrepancies in his academic trajectory, noting that Odoh was reassessed for an associate professorship at UNIZIK in 2019, despite previously holding the title of professor at Gombe State University, Gusau.

These irregularities, he said, should have been flagged during the initial screening process by the governing council.

“Our position as a union of intellectuals is that any process leading to the appointment of a vice-chancellor, or any other government position, whether ministerial or otherwise, should be based on merit, not sentiment, ethnicity, or any other consideration.

“Anyone carrying personal baggage should clear those issues before even being considered for an interview. This is a principle we’ve always emphasised.

“From what I’ve seen in the media, there are numerous issues —affidavits and other documents that have been made public. These are confidential documents that should only be between the vice-chancellor and the relevant parties. They should not be aired in public.

“There are also questions regarding his academic records. For example, the document from Gusau indicates that he was appointed a professor in 2015. At the same time, he was a senior lecturer at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, which raises a serious issue.

“It’s not normal to hold a professorship in one university while still being employed in another university. According to university rules, you must resign from one institution before accepting a position at another.

“Yet, he claimed a professorship in Gusau while still working at UNIZIK. Moreover, during this period, he was also the Secretary to the Ebonyi State Government. Does this make sense to anyone? These are the issues we’re referring to.

“The core issue is this: He claimed to be a professor at Gusau in 2015 but, at the same time, he was employed as a senior lecturer at Nnamdi Azikiwe University.

“According to our rules, when moving to a higher rank at another university, you must resign from your current position. But he didn’t do that — he was both a senior lecturer and a professor simultaneously.

“Then, when he returned to Nnamdi Azikiwe University, he accepted a position as a reader instead of regularising his professorship. This suggests that he rejected his professorship in Gusau, and now he wants to become a vice-chancellor.

“This is not how things should work. We need to focus on merit and qualifications, leaving politics and sentiment aside. This is a matter of professional integrity, and we must address it.”

Osodeke added that the accusation that he was being rejected due to his origin in Ebonyi State was both unfounded and discriminatory.

“I am a Nigerian, not defined by ethnicity or state,” he said.

He emphasised the importance of merit in appointments, saying that a person’s qualifications should be the sole criterion for any position, not personal or regional biases.

Meanwhile,  authorities of UNIZIK on Thursday reinstated Prof Joseph I. Ikechebelu as the acting vice-chancellor of the institution with immediate effect.

This was disclosed in a press statement signed by the Director of Information and Public Relations/Protocol Officer of the university, Njelita Louis.

Louis said the decision followed the nullification of Prof Odoh’s appointment as the seventh substantive vice-chancellor, having deemed his appointment illegal.

He added that Prof Ikechebelu had been directed to assume full administrative responsibilities for the university immediately.

Also, Mr Victor Modebelu was appointed acting registrar, following the nullification of Mrs Nwokike’s appointment.

The statement read: “This is to inform the Nnamdi Azikiwe University community and the general public that, in accordance with the directives of the Minister of Education and the approval of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, Prof Joseph I. Ikechebelu has been reinstated as the Acting Vice-Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, with immediate effect.

“This decision follows the nullification of the appointment of Prof Bernard Ifeanyi Odoh as the seventh substantive Vice-Chancellor, which was deemed illegally executed by the now-dissolved 10th Governing Council of the university.

“The reinstatement of Prof Ikechebelu is outlined in the Federal Ministry of Education correspondence, Ref: FME/HE/CU/82°/1/308, dated 20th November 2024, and signed by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr Nasir Sani-Gwarzo.”

The statement further noted that Ikechebelu had been instructed to assume full administrative duties, with any matters requiring the approval of the governing council to be referred to the minister of education until a new council was reconstituted.