In a statement issued on Monday following resolutions reached at the ASUU NEC meeting held at the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike (MOUAU), Abia State, the NEC maintained that the purported appointment of Prof Bernard Odoh and Mrs Rosemary Ifeoma Nwokike, as Vice Chancellor and Registrar respectively, could not stand.
The National Executive Council (NEC) of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has called on President Bola Tinubu as the Visitor to urgently take concrete and decisive step to restore law and order at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University (NAU), Awka, Anambra State, over the Vice- Chancellorship and Registrar appointment crisis.
In a statement issued on Monday following resolutions reached at the ASUU NEC meeting held at the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike (MOUAU), Abia State, the NEC maintained that the purported appointment of Prof Bernard Odoh and Mrs Rosemary Ifeoma Nwokike, as Vice Chancellor and Registrar respectively, could not stand, given its illegality and mockery of the university system.
The statement which was signed by the ASUU President, Emmanuel Osodeke, said the NEC expressed lack of confidence in the Amb. Greg Mbadiwe-led Governing Council of the university and appealed to the Visitor, Mr President to intervene to redirect the University on the path of order, law and due process.
Osodeke stated that the continued stay in office by Odoh and Nwokike constitutes a deliberate act of provocation and invitation to anarchy at the Nnamdi Azikwe University, Awka, vowing that ASUU has resolved to resist any further act of "impunity, lawlessness, violation of the rights of academics and acts of intimidation and witch-hunt by the pseudo authorities at NAU".
Titled: "Nnamdi Azikiwe University Vice-chancellorship Imbroglio: A Call For Decisive Action By The Visitor," ASUU President stated that NEC after reviewing the imbroglio at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University (NAU), Awka, over the appointment of Vice Chancellor and Registrar for the University, expressed shock that Dr. Benard Odoh, who from all available evidence is not a Full Professor, was purportedly appointed the Vice Chancellor of NAU by the Amb. Greg Mbadiwe-led Governing Council in total disregard for the advertised eligibility criteria for the position of a Vice-Chancellor of the University.
The statement partly read: "NEC noted with grave concern the reported exclusion of internal members of Council in the appointment proceedings as well as the utter disregard for the participation of Senate in the nomination of its representatives into the requisite Committees for the selection processes as provided by the law of the University.
"NEC further noted the appeals and interventions made without success by the University’s Chapter of ASUU, Senate of the University, Federal Ministry of Education and the Association of Medical and Dental Council to discourage Amb.Greg Mbadiwe-led Governing Council of NAU from the path of recklessness, lawlessness and impunity in the appointment of substantive Vice-Chancellor and Registrar of NAU.
"NEC maintains that the current crisis facing NAU stemmed from abuse of the procedures for the appointment of the Vice-Chancellor - including the advertisement, the search process, and the shortlisting and selection processes - by the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Governing Council of the University.
"ASUU views the dictatorial and repressive actions of the Amb. Greg Mbadiwe-led Governing Council of NAU in the purported appointment of Dr. Benard Odoh as Vice Chancellor and Mrs. Rosemary Ifeoma Nwokike as Registrar a huge joke and a mockery of the academia.
"We insist that the action of the Amb. Greg Mbadiwe-led Governing Council has no place in the University Law and tradition; it MUST therefore be addressed without delay.
"NEC resolved that the appointment of Dr. Benard Odoh, the purported “Vice Chancellor” and Mrs. Rosemary Ifeoma Nwokike, the purported “Registrar” cannot stand, given its illegality and mockery of the university system. The continued stay in office by these imposed individuals constitutes a deliberate act of provocation and invitation to anarchy at the Nnamdi Azikwe University, Awka.
"NEC further resolved to resist any further act of impunity, lawlessness, violation of the rights of academics and acts of intimidation and witch-hunt by the pseudo authorities at NAU.
"Consequently, ASUU calls on the Visitor and President of the Federal Republic to urgently take concrete and decisive step to restore law and order in NAU. For the avoidance of doubt, ASUU like many other stakeholders at NAU, does not have confidence in the Amb. Greg Mbadiwe-led Governing Council, and the Visitor should urgently intervene to redirect the University on the path of order, law and due process."