President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has received praise from the administration of Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), located in Awka, Anambra State, for his reforms aimed at enhancing higher education.
It issued a warning to those deemed troublemakers to desist from interfering with school matters, stating that “they’re trying to cause confusion.”
The reaction came after Mr. Matthew Ugwuadi’s article, which claimed that Governor Chukwuma Soludo and two political parties were embroiled in a power struggle over the choice of the institution’s next vice chancellor (VC).
Dr. Emma Ojukwu, the current VC’s Special Advisor and the institution’s previous head of information, called the statement made yesterday in Awka the handiwork of fifth columnists.
He said: “The attention of Nnamdi Azikiwe University has been drawn to an obvious fabrication and falsehood being circulated by fifth columnists and opportunists about the race for the vice chancellorship of UNIZIK.
In this intentionally fabricated falsehood, the fictitious writers concocted figments of their imagination as truth to deceive the public.
The university will like to state as follows: “Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka is a federal university funded by the Federal Government of Nigeria under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Education.
“The procedure for who emerges the Vice Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka is contained in a template outlined and issued by the Federal Ministry of Education.
“Based on these criteria, the Governing Council of the University and the University Senate jointly interview and appoint the most suitably qualified candidate following the Federal Government issued guidelines, which are always strictly followed.
“Therefore, it is surprising that these merchants of falsehood will allege that candidates are being sponsored by political parties (the PDP and APGA) for extraneous reasons.
“Let it be stated that it is the Federal Government through its due processes that will determine who becomes the Vice Chancellor of UNIZIK.
“The current Vice Chancellor, Prof Charles Okechukwu Esimone, has performed 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 after he completes his five-year tenure in early June 2024 is in the hands of God and he has always said publicly that the best should emerge.
“Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka 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 workers and students of the university.
“The university management commends the Federal Government under His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for the remarkable efforts being made to improve the lot of universities in Nigeria, especially with regard to the welfare of workers and students.”
