UNIZIK Rejects FG’s Annulment of New VC, Registrar Appointments, Asserts ‘Due Process Was Met’

Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK) in Awka has formally rejected the Federal Ministry of Education’s decision to nullify the recent appointments of the university’s new Vice Chancellor, Professor Benard Odoh, and Registrar, R.I. Nwokike. This decision, communicated in a letter from the ministry, alleged procedural lapses, but UNIZIK’s administration insists it followed all guidelines.

On Friday, the ministry issued a directive to the university’s governing council chairman, Ambassador Greg Mbadiwe, canceling the recent appointments and advising the council to delay any official appointments until the new Minister of Education assumes office. The ministry’s stance was rooted in claims that the process was not compliant with federal guidelines.

However, UNIZIK’s Registrar and Secretary to the Governing Council, R.I. Nwokike, refuted these assertions in a formal response. She clarified that interactions between the council and the outgoing Minister of State for Education were informal and not part of the official decision-making process.

Nwokike provided further evidence that the university followed due protocol in the appointment process. She stated that formal invitations were extended to all required parties, including internal and external council members and other stakeholders, for the selection meeting held on October 29, 2024. Representatives from the Federal Character Commission, along with other council members and stakeholders, were reportedly in attendance. Nwokike supported her statements with documented attendance records, photographs, and official meeting notices.

“Contrary to the ministry’s claims, we ensured all necessary protocols were observed, and a quorum was constituted in compliance with statutory requirements under the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Act, Cap 139 (as amended), LFN 2004,” Nwokike noted.

She further emphasized that the university’s selection process for the Vice Chancellor and Registrar was thorough and transparent, dismissing the ministry’s suggestion of reconciling with any aggrieved parties as “irrelevant to the procedural integrity.”

Of the 18 applicants for the position of Vice Chancellor, 15 candidates were interviewed, with score sheets duly recorded. According to Nwokike, the council acted within its lawful authority, ensuring a transparent process that met all regulatory standards.

The university’s announcement comes amid mixed reactions across the campus community. While some members celebrated the appointment of Professor Odoh, others, including the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), raised objections. ASUU questioned Odoh’s qualifications, claiming he had not met the academic criteria for the role of a professor.