From Aloysius Attah, Onitsha
Management of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka has stated that the emergence of a new Vice Chancellor expected to take place in June this year will follow laid down procedures as contained in a Federal Government template clearly outlined and issued by the Federal Ministry of Education.
Special Adviser to the Vice Chancellor on Public Relations, Dr Emma Ojukwu who stated this in a statement debunking recent social media write-up alleging that political parties were sponsoring candidates who will succeed the outgoing Vice Chancellor, Prof. Charles Esimone, said such insinuations were the handiwork of some fifth columnists and opportunists who delight in obvious fabrication and falsehood.
He said the intentionally fabricated falsehood from some fictitious writers were concocted figments of their imagination presented as truth to deceive members of the public.
Dr Ojukwu noted that Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka is a Federal University, funded by the Federal Government of Nigeria under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Education while the procedure for who will emerge the Vice Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka is contained in a template clearly outlined and issued by the Federal Ministry of Education.
He said that based on the criteria, the Governing Council of the University and the University Senate jointly interviews and appoints the most suitably qualified candidate following the Federal Government issued guidelines which are always followed strictly.
He said that contrary to the position of those writers he described as “merchants of falsehood” whom he noted alleged that candidates for the VC position are being sponsored by political parties (the PDP and APGA) for extraneous reasons, the true position is the fact that that it is the Federal Government through its due processes that would determine who becomes the next Vice Chancellor of UNIZIK”
“The current Vice Chancellor, Prof Charles Okechukwu Esimone has performed creditably well by lifting the University to an enviable height. The Vice Chancellor has no right under the existing University law to appoint a successor or even influence the outcome of this race as this is the work of the Governing Council of the University”.
“Therefore, the insinuation that the Vice Chancellor is supporting a particular candidate is untrue. The Vice Chancellor believes that who will succeed him as Vice Chancellor after he completes his 5 year tenure in early June 2024 is in the hands of God and he has always said publicly that the best should emerge”.
“The Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka strongly condemns this treacherous attempt to drag the name of this great University to the mud by these fictitious opportunists. It also condemns any further attempt to unnecessarily overheat the temperature of the University and cause anxiety among peace-loving staff and students of the University”.
He said the University Management commends the Federal Government under His Excellency, President Ahmed Bola Tinubu, for the remarkable efforts being made to improve the lot of Universities in Nigeria especially with regard to the welfare of staff and students.