The embattled vice-chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Prof. Benard Odoh, on Thursday, called on the Federal Ministry of Education not to be desperate in trying to set the institution on fire or attempting to usurp the powers of the courts before whom there are multiple lawsuits on the matter and shouldn’t run into conclusions without evidence.
Odoh made this known while reacting to a statement credited to the Federal Ministry of Education, which was signed by the Director, Press and Public Relations, Boriowo Folasade, and titled ‘Dissolution of Governing Council of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State.’
The vice chancellor, Odoh, in a statement signed and issued to newsmen by the Personal Assistant on Media and Publicity, Charles Otu, described the letter purporting his sack and dissolution of the governing council of the varsity as a mischievous, strange, and grievous attempt to set the institution on fire.
He insisted that the constitution of the university’s governing council and the appointment of the seventh substantive vice chancellor followed due process.
Odoh said that the said letter is contemptuous having regard to the fact that the subject matter of the said letter is subjudice: “Incidentally, the Ministry of Education is a party in Suit No. NICN/ABJ/383/2024 and also in Suit No. NICN/ABJ/372/2024 where the legality or otherwise of the appointment of the Vice Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University by the Council was submitted to the National Industrial Court to determine, and the Court is yet to make a pronouncement.
“This notwithstanding, the Ministry of Education, without iota of respect to the Court, proceeded and passed its judgment. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education is a defendant in the above suits with no counterclaim. This is unprecedented.
Odoh, however, stated as follows: “Has there been any crises needless to allude to ‘breakdown of law and order’ in the institution since the subsequent inauguration into office of the Seventh substantive Vice-Chancellor of the University?
“The simple answer is that the Awka temple of knowledge, just like its sister campuses, has been very calm and peaceful, and the Vice-Chancellor has been discharging his duties effectively without rancour. It can even be safe to conclude that the Ministry, ostensibly working for some fifth columnists, may want to ignite or spark crises with its highly dictatorial treatise.”
“Again, for the second time in less than three weeks, the Ministry of Education violated the extant provisions of the University’s Act by announcing, for the second time, a purported removal from office of the seventh substantive Vice-Chancellor of the university, which we still insist it has no powers to do, not especially when parties are already in the various Courts of Law.
“Top among the many other flaws in the purported ‘sack letter’ is the fact that even the Council’s Chairman, who was duly appointed with a letter, has not been officially or formally communicated about this purported dissolution.
“Already, the greatest question mark on the integrity of the purported letter is the fact that it never emanated from the President or Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, who issued the council members with appointment letters.
“It was rather strangely endorsed, not by a Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, perhaps on behalf of the Honourable Minister, but by a Public Relations Director. This obviously casts strong doubts on the genuineness and intent of the said letter.
“We would wish to maintain that, hence parties have remained in court, let the issues be expeditiously tested and established by the relevant provisions of our laws,” he stressed.
He, however, called on the general public, particularly members of the university community, to go about their lawful and legitimate businesses and also urged them to maintain peace and order in the area.
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