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The Prof. Greg Ozumba Mbadiwe-led Governing Council at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University has called on President Bola Tinubu to investigate the sack of council by the Ministry of Education.
Mbadiwe, who spoke on behalf of other members of the council, stated this on Tuesday when speaking with newsmen in Owerri, Imo State capital.
He said, “My silence on the ongoing matters at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, where I serve as Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Council, should not be misconstrued as weakness or fear. It is a deliberate decision to allow justice to take its course.
“However, recent events, particularly the declaration of illegality concerning the properly constituted Committees of the Council tasked with selecting the Vice-Chancellor and Registrar, which strictly adhered to the provisions of the Nnamdi Azikiwe (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2012 (as amended), and the abrupt dissolution of the University Council by the Ministry of Education compel me to speak out.
“During the appointment process for both the Vice-Chancellor and the Registrar, all relevant stakeholders, including representatives of the Council and Senate, were fully involved and adequately represented. The search committee was properly constituted, with one external member of the council serving as chairman and four other internal members.”
According to him, the selection committees for both the vice chancellor and registrar were constituted duly and lawfully in line with established regulations.
He added, “The Selection Committees for both the Vice-Chancellor and Registrar were also duly and lawfully constituted in line with established regulations. It is important to note that the so-called aggrieved parties have already filed multiple cases in court, which are still ongoing.
The court of law remains the highest arbiter of justice, law, equity, and fairness. Resolving these matters administratively, without regard for judicial processes or court orders, is not only unjust but also a grave miscarriage of justice.
“Does this suggest that the authority of the court, as the ultimate institution for adjudicating justice, no longer holds sway in our beloved country, Nigeria? I respectfully disagree and take exception to such a notion.
“Over the years, I have undertaken various other assignments for my country, far too numerous to list here. I hold my integrity in high regard and remain committed to upholding the principles of justice and fairness in all my endeavours.
“But in the recent past, these efforts were cast by the wayside as a statement issued by the Ministry of Education as a news item in the electronic media heralding the dissolution of the council of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka, of which I was hitherto the pro-chancellor and chairman of the council.”
Mbadiwe called on the President to investigate the matter of sack by the Ministry of Education and ascertain the authority of the signatory of the said letter.
“It’s, therefore, a violation of one’s rights that the Ministry of Education acted without inviting the council to ask any questions or seek inputs in any aspect of the subject matter in question in a matter as critical as this,” he added.
He urged the President to review the situation with a view of saving his career and reputation and that of other members of the council from unwarranted destruction.
Earlier, Tinubu approved the dissolution of the governing council of UNIZIK in Awka, Anambra State.
A statement by the special adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said Tinubu also approved the removal of Bernard Odoh, the new vice chancellor, and Rosemary Ifoema Nwokike, the registrar.
The council, led by Greg Ozumba Mbadiwe, included five other members: Hafiz Oladejo, Augustine Onyedebelu, Amioleran Osahon, and Funsho Oyeneyin, and was dissolved.
The sacking of the governing council and officials followed reports that the council appointed an unqualified vice chancellor without following due process.
