In a significant legal move, the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has taken decisive action against what it perceives as illegal appointments within the university’s administration.
The union has filed a lawsuit at the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, Awka Judicial Division, seeking to nullify the appointments of Prof. Bernard Ifeanyi Odoh as Vice Chancellor and Mrs. Rosemary Ifeoma Nwokike as Registrar, citing procedural violations.
Filed under suit number NICN/AWK/52/2024, the legal action calls for a perpetual injunction to prevent Odoh and Nwokike from assuming their respective roles. ASUU claims that the appointments, made on October 21 and October 29, 2024, violated key sections of the Universities (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1993 and the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Act 1992. The union argues that these selections were “illegal, null and void, ultra vires, and of no effect.”
The union’s grievance centers around the claim that the appointments were made unilaterally without full council participation, a breach of established legal frameworks.
ASUU’s legal counsel, Onyeka B. Ehiwuogwu Esq., representing the union and its members, has outlined 11 critical questions for the court’s determination and seeks 25 reliefs aimed at invalidating the appointments.
Among the questions raised is whether the setting of qualification criteria for these positions, and the subsequent advertisement for vacancies, were lawful given the absence of a fully constituted governing council. The claimants argue that the external members of the council, acting independently, lack the authority to initiate such processes.
The suit implicates several university officials and council members as defendants, including the Pro-Chancellor Amb. Greg Ozumba Mbadiwe, who is accused of acting outside his authority in the appointment processes.
Adding a layer of political intrigue, a source within the university revealed to SaharaReporters that the appointments might be part of a strategic plan orchestrated by Imo State Governor Hope Uzodinma, aiming to position Odoh as Vice Chancellor in anticipation of future political maneuvers. “The plan is to install this Odoh to be the VC in preparation for 2027. The man is not even a professor,” the source alleged.
This unfolding legal battle underscores a broader struggle for academic integrity and governance, with ASUU positioning itself as the guardian of due process and legality within Nigeria’s higher education institutions.
The court’s decision will likely have far-reaching implications for university governance and the integrity of academic appointments across the nation.
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