•President, members trade words over allegation of highheadness, violation of constitution
By Gabriel Dike
Certainly, all is not well with the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka Alumni Association (NAUAA) as the body faces a constitutional crisis and alleged highheadness of the President, Dr. Ikechukwu Umeh.
Some executive members of NAUAA and branch chairmen and chairperson are up in arms against the violation of the Association’s Constitution by the President, Dr. Umeh.
Daily Sun gathered that some of his executive members are also battling him over his disregard to directive from the Board of Trustee (BOT).
Umeh have been accused by members of unilaterally taking some decisions that is not in tune with the Association’s Constitution as well as witch-hunt of some people, he perceived as enemy.
Some members of the National Executive Council (NEC) have queried Umeh’s continuous holding of NEC meetings in his house rather than the stipulated venue.
His actions according to some aggrieved members are seriously generating ripples in the association.
Genesis of the crisis
The Public Relations Office, Oruonye Chioma Mercy told Daily Sun that there is, in reality, no widespread conflict between the president and branch chairmen. The tension is isolated, primarily involving him and the chairman of the Onitsha branch.
The PRO explained that during his tenure as vice president (South East), the now-president was tasked with supervising elections in the Onitsha branch, adding, “As part of this process, he was added to the branch WhatsApp group.”
According to him, the standard practice dictates that, once elections are concluded, the electoral official exits the group to allow the new branch leadership full autonomy a courtesy that, unfortunately, was not observed in this case.
“By 2024, during the national elections where the current president was a candidate, the Onitsha branch chairman allowed him to remain in the group alongside his opponent for campaign purposes. However, after the elections, the chairman exercised her discretion to remove him, an action that appeared to have been taken in good faith to restore neutrality.
“Subsequently, a request for the Onitsha chairman’s contact was made on the stakeholders’ platform. Rather than forwarding the correct contact information, the president provided that of another member.” When this was brought to his attention, his justification centered around his removal from the branch group signaling that personal grievances had begun to influence administrative conduct,” stated.
Escalation of crisis
Daily Sun further gathered that the matter escalated at the NEC meeting of April 22, 2025, where the president directed that all branch chairmen must add him and their respective zonal vice presidents to their branch WhatsApp groups by 6.00pm, April 23, 2025, or face sanctions.
Our source said the pronouncement was met with concern and opposition from several chairmen who viewed it as inconsistent with the spirit of autonomy and the non-coercive precedents set by the previous administration.
“By the stated deadline, the president enforced selective sanctions, removing only the Onitsha branch chairperson from the NEC, stakeholders, and their departmental (computer Sc) platforms, while leaving untouched other branches including Port Harcourt, Asaba, Ibadan, and Lagos Mainland, whose chairmen had also not complied.
He emphasized that the directive mandating compulsory addition of the president and zonal VPs to branch platforms is not constitutional, but merely a non-binding policy adopted informally by the previous administration without compulsion.
He argued:” Given the sequence of events, it is difficult to dismiss the perception that these actions were targeted reprisals stemming from personal disagreements rather than principled leadership decisions.
“This situation underscores the urgent need for clear governance structures, fairness, and the de-escalation of personal conflicts to protect the unity and integrity of the alumni association. Therefore, the ongoing tensions are clearly rooted in personal grievances rather than any electoral agenda.”
On why the national executives kept quiet over the face-off, he argued that their silence could largely be attributed to fear of becoming targets themselves.
Many of them were part of the president’s campaign team, and there is a prevailing concern that speaking out could expose them to the same vindictive treatment currently being witnessed.
Said he:” Those who have attempted to call the president to order have been labeled as troublemakers and enemies of the administration, creating a climate of fear and suppression within the leadership.”
NC and BOT SILENCE AS MEMBERS SPEAK OUT
The Daily Sun further learnt from a NEC member that the National Convention (NC) and the Board of Trustees (BOT) are the constitutional organs vested with the authority to call the president to order. However, the president has consistently disrespected the BOT and has never heeded their advice.
“Since the National Convention convenes only once a year, no immediate corrective action can be taken until then,” another NEC noted.
Members of the association are divided whether NEC took a decision to add the president and zonal vice president to branch platforms.
A member said: “I do not believe a resolution was reached on this issue. While Barrister Bona did speak on the matter and made efforts to address it. I recall requesting the minutes of the meeting where it was purportedly agreed in Bayelsa that the president and VP be added to all state platforms.
“I kindly suggest that we hold off on implementing this decision until that document is made available. Many of us were not members of the NEC at the time this decision was allegedly taken, and we currently have no official documentation to support it.”
Daily Sun learnt that the president threatened to sanction branch chairmen/chairpersons if they fail to comply with his directive.
It was further gathered that many members faulted the president’s position and questioned the legality of his directive. As at the time of this report Umeh has not produced the signed copy of minutes of the meeting as demanded.
Some branch chairmen/chairpersons did not comply with the controversial directive. The president only sanctioned the Onitsha branch chairperson, Mrs. Amalachukwu Iluno.
Umeh’s action triggered discontentment among members including NEC officials, who have described his decision as unconstitutional.
A member described his action as wrong administrative and against standard procedure and argued that the president ought to know his limits that branches are autonomous and part of the federating units of the global association.
“Ndi NEC, is this what you do in meetings? Let’s focus more on projects that will have a positive impact on the association and unnecessary politics that will separate us the more,” a branch member stated.
Another member’s view: “These ongoing power play and internal wrangling will only continue to hurt the integrity and unity of this alumni body if not addressed.”
Again, another member asked the president: “So tell me why you leave the national body you were elected to oversee and decide to snoop into the branches, thereby taking away power from the chairman that were duly elected like you.
“I am not tired, it is a shame that we gave power to someone who doesn’t have the interest of the association at heart but just to bear the name president and show power,” a member observed.
Concerned member noted: “I am saying it here for future purposes because three years is too long this rubbish Mr. President is doing and unless his people call him to order, this association will go down the drain or branches will pull out from NEC.”
One particular member reminded the president that governing graduates is not like governing market people because they will come to him with facts and data.
This member asked: “If our president is acting this way under one year of assumption of office then it is highly unfortunate and our Constitution provides for an escape route in the hands of the majority of members of the general house at any duly constituted national convention meetings.”
He went further to remind the president that the alumni is not like NURTW with a combined uniform of white and green with some unrecognized paramilitary ranks of issuing orders instead of being civil in approach in words and character.
“Let him play by the rules and adjust himself to the tenets of the laid down rules or simply press the exit button by himself if he sees himself unfit to lead a global UNIZIK Alumni Association,” he argued.
An executive of the association revealed that when they were inducted into the office, the president asked them to submit action plans for their roles, noting, “I submitted mine, only to find out that the president proceeded with my ideas without consulting me.”
“The president seems to treat us like students rather than established professionals, forgetting that we’re here to contribute our time, money, and expertise to make the association thrive. There is a reason why every position exists, and micromanaging or view constructive criticism as an attack only stifles growth,” he further noted.
A NEC member added: “And his insistence of holding NEC meetings in his personal house which is unconstitutional when we have a Secretariat inside UNIZIK, which our Constitution directs, is where we’re supposed to be having our quarterly monthly meetings. His motive of taking our NEC meetings to his house is still being investigated and some members already boycotting meeting attendance in his house as sign of protest.”
UMEH’S REACTIONS
Daily Sun on April 30th, 2025, sent Dr. Umeh questions on his WhatsApp to respond to the allegations of highheadness and breach of the Alumni Constitution and a reminder on May 1st, he did not respond.
On May 8th, our Correspondent called Umeh and he simply told the Daily Sun, “there is no crisis in the UNIZIK Alumni Association”, and cut off the call.