Crisis is brewing in Nnamdi Azikiwe University (NAU) following reports of plans to impose a preferred candidate of the outgoing vice chancellor as acting vice-chancellor.
Reports have it that Professor Charles Esimone, the outgoing VC has concluded plans to.illegally announce Professor Joseph Ikechebelu as acting VC using the Senate meeting scheduled for May 22, 2024 as the instrument to perpetuate such Illegality.
Prof. Ikechebelu is DVC Administration.
According to a senior professor who opted for anonymity, news had reached the university community that Esimone had concluded plans to install Ikechebelu illegally, wherein a part of the agenda, which is the election of an “Acting Vice Chancellor” would be surreptitiously smuggled in contrary to the laws of the university, which holds that any item not listed in the proposed agenda of a Senate meeting cannot be discussed.
This, he said, had infuriated lecturers who were bothered at the level of desperation exhibited by Professor Esimone, who had prior to the exposing of such a plot had fervently denied such a plan, causing such lecturers to rally in protest against “such a satanic Imposition,” which was bound to pull the university into a series of crises that could hamper progress.
“The appointment of an acting vice-chancellor is the job of a governing council and in its absence the job of the president via the minister of education. Why is Esimone desperate to foist his choice for VC as an acting vice-chancellor? Why must he smuggle such an obnoxious agenda on an academic community such as ours, which ought to demonstrate to the world a rugged knack for due process? Why the desperation?
“Let me assure the university’s public and stakeholders that lecturers within the community will surely resist such an attempt. We are already mobilising, this is not about Professor Esimone or his preferred candidate for VC, but about doing the right thing.”
Reports also suggest that the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), UNIZIK.chapter has begun mobilising it’s members for a showdown with the VC on the same issue.
However, efforts to reach its chairman proved abortive as calls and messages sent to his phone were not responded to.
In an earlier release, Esimone had assured Nigerians and the university community that he had no plans nor powers to appoint or elect an acting VC, as such powers reside with the president through the minister of education.