Sacked UNIZIK VC challenges dismissal, says due process was ignored

The recently dismissed Vice-Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, Anambra State, Professor Bernard Odoh, has criticized the manner of his removal, asserting that it did not adhere to due process.

Speaking on Thursday, Odoh insisted that his removal through a press statement was improper and lacked legal foundation.

Odoh’s dismissal, alongside the dissolution of the university’s governing council, stemmed from allegations of irregularities in his appointment.

In a statement issued on Wednesday by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to President Bola Tinubu, the Federal Government highlighted concerns over the university’s leadership crisis.

“The sacking of the governing council and officials followed reports that the council illegally appointed an unqualified vice-chancellor without following due process,” Onanuga stated.

“After the controversial appointment, the Federal Government stepped in to address tensions between the university’s Senate and the Governing Council of the 33-year-old institution. The government expressed concern over the council’s apparent disregard for the university’s governing laws in its selection process,” the statement added.

However, in an interview on Arise TV, Odoh expressed strong reservations about his dismissal, arguing that it was not in line with established protocols.

Read also: Gov Soludo closes schools in Nnewi amid security concerns ahead of Sen Ubah’s burial

“I’m not disobeying Mr. President, but it is the governing council that will recommend my sack after investigating me,” Odoh said. “Mr. President could have been ill-advised. You can’t fire somebody you didn’t employ. The Visitor (Tinubu) appointed the council, and the council followed due process to engage and give me a letter. He can’t remove me through a press release.”

Odoh further emphasized that his removal lacked the procedural inquiry required in such cases. “There was no panel of inquiry. I was not appointed through a press release but rather by a constituted authority which followed a straightforward procedure,” he added.

The legitimacy of Odoh’s professorial status has also come under scrutiny, but he dismissed the allegations as baseless. He explained that the former Registrar of the institution had verified his records through the Sokoto State High Court.

“When the lies and fake news about my professorship came up, the then-Registrar at the time I was confirmed as a Professor took my records to the Sokoto State High Court for confirmation,” Odoh said. “What some people did was to pay somebody to remove my records from the university. The VC who appointed me still teaches at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, and he wrote my reference letter.”

Odoh also accused the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, of acting prematurely in announcing his dismissal, given the existence of ongoing court cases regarding his appointment.

“Those matters are yet to be determined, and now the minister jumped the gun on a matter the Federal Ministry of Education is a party to as defendants. The court hasn’t ruled on this matter. So, I don’t see a basis for all of this noise,” he argued.

Odoh suggested that his removal was influenced by prejudice against his origins, noting that he comes from Ebonyi State, which he described as unfairly marginalized.

“I’m from Ebonyi State. We are regarded as third-class people. People feel I’m not qualified because I come from Ebonyi State. People have ganged up to remove me at all costs,” he lamented.

Despite the controversy, Odoh vowed to continue serving the institution to ensure its accreditation processes and academic activities are not derailed.

“I am going to the university to ensure that activities and accreditation go on. The Federal Ministry of Education is introducing a crisis on campus. I am an alumnus of this university. It pains me that the university is being destroyed,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has accused the university’s governing council of violating due process in Odoh’s appointment. ASUU has called on the Federal Ministry of Education to dissolve the council, alleging acts of illegality.

The post Sacked UNIZIK VC challenges dismissal, says due process was ignored appeared first on Latest Nigeria News | Top Stories from Ripples Nigeria.