UNIZIK: ASUU urges Tinubu to act, rejects Odoh as VC

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has rejected the recent appointment of ‘Prof.’ Benard Odoh as the Vice-Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka.

Accusing the Amb. Greg Mbadiwe-led governing council of the university of violating extant laws in appointing Odoh as the Vice-Chancellor, the union appealed to the visitor, President Bola Tinubu, to intervene immediately by taking concrete and decisive steps to restore law and order at the institution.

In a statement issued on Monday night by its president, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, ASUU passed a vote of no confidence in the Amb. Greg Mbadiwe-led governing council.

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The statement, titled “Nnamdi Azikiwe University: A Call for Decisive Action by the Visitor,* explained that the union’s position on the issue was reached during its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held between November 8 and November 9, 2024, at Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State.

The statement highlighted that the union deliberated on pressing issues affecting the country’s university system, including the ongoing crisis at Nnamdi Azikiwe University (NAU) over the appointment of the Vice-Chancellor and Registrar.

“Arising from the discussion of the festering vice chancellorship crisis at NAU, NEC noted the obvious abuses and breaches of the extant laws and procedures in the purported appointment of the Vice-Chancellor and Registrar of the University by the Governing Council.

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“NEC expressed shock that Dr. Benard Odoh, who from all available evidence is not a full professor, was purportedly appointed Vice-Chancellor of NAU by the Amb. Greg Mbadiwe-led Governing Council, in total disregard of the advertised eligibility criteria for the position of Vice-Chancellor.

“NEC noted with grave concern the reported exclusion of internal members of the Council from the appointment proceedings, as well as the utter disregard for the participation of the Senate in nominating its representatives into the requisite committees for the selection process, as provided by the law of the university.

“NEC further noted the appeals and interventions made, without success, by the university’s chapter of ASUU, the Senate of the university, the Federal Ministry of Education, and the Association of Medical and Dental Council to discourage the Amb. Greg Mbadiwe-led Governing Council from engaging in recklessness, lawlessness, and impunity in appointing the substantive Vice-Chancellor and Registrar of NAU.

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“NEC maintains that the current crisis at NAU stems from the abuse of procedures for the appointment of the Vice-Chancellor, including the advertisement, search process, shortlisting, and selection processes, by the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council,” the statement read.

According to the statement, ASUU views the dictatorial and repressive actions of the Amb. Greg Mbadiwe-led Governing Council in appointing Dr. Benard Odoh as Vice-Chancellor and Mrs. Rosemary Ifeoma Nwokike as Registrar as a huge joke and a mockery of academia.

The association added: “We insist that the actions of the Amb. Greg Mbadiwe-led Governing Council have no place in university law and tradition; they must therefore be addressed without delay.

“NEC resolved that the appointment of Dr. Benard Odoh, the purported ‘Vice-Chancellor,’ and Mrs. Rosemary Ifeoma Nwokike, the purported ‘Registrar,’ cannot stand, given its illegality and the mockery it makes of the university system.

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“The continued stay in office of these imposed individuals constitutes a deliberate act of provocation and an invitation to anarchy at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka.

“NEC further resolved to resist any further acts of impunity, lawlessness, violation of academics’ rights, and acts of intimidation and witchhunt by the pseudo-authorities at NAU.

“Consequently, ASUU calls on the Visitor and President of the Federal Republic to urgently take concrete and decisive steps to restore law and order at NAU.

“For the avoidance of doubt, ASUU, like many other stakeholders at NAU, does not have confidence in the Amb. Greg Mbadiwe-led Governing Council. The Visitor should urgently intervene to redirect the university toward the path of order, law, and due process

Source: The Guardian