Federal Ministry of Education Declares Appointment of Nnamdi Azikiwe University Vice-Chancellor Null and Void

By Newsroom

Administrator

Newsroom

Posted: November 3, 2024 at 2:21 pm, Updated: November 3, 2024 at 2:21 pm

Minister of Education, Tunji Alaussa

Key Points

Nullified Appointment: The Federal Ministry of Education has declared Bernard Odoh’s appointment as Vice-Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University void, citing a lack of necessary consultations during the selection process.
Grievances and Legal Action: The University’s Governing Council’s decision was made amid ongoing grievances from the university community, prompting the Senate to abstain from future selection processes and legal actions by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and other groups against the appointments.
Ongoing Controversy: Despite the legal challenges and protests surrounding his appointment, Odoh has commenced his tenure as vice chancellor, having previously served as a lecturer and risen through the academic ranks since 2009.

Federal Ministry of Education Declares Appointment of Nnamdi Azikiwe University Vice-Chancellor Null and Void

The recent appointment of Bernard Odoh as the Vice-Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK) in Awka, Anambra State, has been declared null and void by the Federal Ministry of Education.

This decision follows a meeting held on October 25, 2024, where it was agreed that the University’s Governing Council should refrain from making appointments until grievances from within the university community were addressed.

The Governing Council, chaired by Ambassador Greg Mbadiwe, had appointed Odoh as the seventh substantive vice-chancellor on October 29, 2024, during a candidate interview process.

However, in a letter dated November 1, 2024, from Mrs. R. G. Ilyasu on behalf of the Permanent Secretary, the ministry stated that the council proceeded with the appointment without necessary consultations, undermining constituted authority and existing regulations.

The letter emphasised that all appointments made without reconciling with aggrieved parties are void, instructing the council to suspend any further appointments until the new Minister of Education assumes office.

This notice was also communicated to the National Universities Commission.

Furthermore, reports emerged on October 28, 2024, that the University’s Senate had resolved to abstain from future selection processes for the vice-chancellor and other positions until discrepancies in the selection criteria, published in the Vanguard newspaper, are rectified.

In a related development, the Incorporated Trustees of the Medical and Dental Consultants Association of NAUTH and Dr. Victor Modekwe have filed a suit before the National Industrial Court, seeking an injunction to halt the vice-chancellor appointment process, asserting that the criteria used for the selection were flawed.

Additionally, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) at UNIZIK has also initiated legal proceedings against both Odoh and the newly appointed registrar, Rosemary Ifeoma Nwokike.

The union’s suit requests that the court prevent them from fulfilling their roles, claiming that the selection process for both positions was executed unilaterally and was, therefore, illegal.

Despite protests regarding the appointment process, Odoh, a former secretary to the government of Ebonyi State and a graduate of UNIZIK, has begun his tenure as vice chancellor.

He joined the university as a lecturer in 2009, progressively rising through the ranks to become a reader by 2019.