The embattled Vice-Chancellor of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, Prof. Bernard Odoh, has stated that up until Thursday morning, he has not received any letter, memo or document relieving him of his office.
He noted that for a university that is currently facing 13 professional and academic teams in accreditation visitation to the University, it would be most unfortunate for him to vacate the office he recently assumed on October 29, 2024, just becaue the media published that Presidemt Bola Tinubu had relieved him of his appointment by the dissolution of the university’s Governing Council.
Prof. Odoh was sacked as vice-chancellor by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on November 20, 2024, following allegations of irregularities in his appointment process and controversies surrounding his academic qualifications.
The announcement that Prof Bernard Odoh had been sacked and that the university’s Governing Council dissolved was made by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy.
In a separate statement, Boriowo Folashade, the Director of Press and Public Relations at the Federal Ministry of Education, also confirmed the development, citing what he dubbed procedural violations in Odo’s appointment.
However, speaking on Arise News Television Thursday Morning Show, Prof. Odoh said that the procedures for him to be sacked have not been followed, adding that he had not yet been issued with a query by any authority of power, except what he read in the newspapers, electronic media or from the social media, wondering what he should do in the circumstamce.
He also stated that the institution was on Thursday set to receive external bodies who were visiting the institution and that removing him from office, relieving the Governing Council of their appointments and sacking the University’s Registrar at the same time would amount to anarchy.
He said there were procedural steps to follow to upturn his appointment, stressing that no authority has queried him since the controversy cropped up.
He disclaimed allegations that he was not appointed a Professor by the Federal University, Guzau, Zamfara state, and dismissed claims that he did not meet the set criteria for being appointed a Vice-Chancellor.
He stated that the Vice-Chancellor of the University when he was appointed a Professor is in the staff of UNIZIK, adding that the university’s Governing Council chairman, and Registrar at the time of his appointment are still alive and can be contacted.
He also said the members of his professorial External Assessors Team are still alive and can be contacted instead of dishing out falsehood on him.
Prof. Odo said that aside the National President of the Medical and Dental Consultants of Nigeria and a few other persons who feel that someone from Ebonyi state is inferior to be VC of UNIZIK, no other reasonable group have challenged his appointment.
He also said the Federal Ministry of Education, the National Universities Commission (NUC) nor the university’s Governing Council raised any query against him or asked him for any explanation on the allegations made against him.
“It is simply became I am from Ebonyi state and some people feel Ebonyi people are inferior to head a university like this one. Aside from that, which they also did against Prof. Ahaneku, that led to crises until he served out his term, I don’t have any issues with anybody.
“All the people who assessed the submissions of 15 of us who applied for the post of Vice-Chancellor and interviewed the 13 of us who attended the interviews and screening, are still alive. Their reports are in public domain.
“The Registrar of the University during the selection had also forwarded his reports to the NUC and Ministry of Education and all those can be assessed. I really don’t know what the people fighting me are looking for, except to fulfill selfish interests.
“With the development, immediately we end this interview, I will go to the University and tell the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academics) to takeover the coordination of the accreditation teams from me. We can’t allow an important academic process like accreditation to suffer or be frustrated because of the activities of self-serving interests,” he stated.
When asked if the pronouncements of President Tinubu on his appointment does not matter, he responded, “the instructions of the President is sacrosanct and Immutable. That is the final word and nobody can dispute that”.
