The Academic Staff Union of University (ASUU), has vowed to resist any attempt to impose any particular individual on Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike (MOUAU), Abia State as Vice Chancellor.
MOUAU, Abia State.
In a press release jointly signed by ASUU, MOUAU chairperson, Comrade Chinyere A. Echendu and the Secretary, Comrade Francis Nkaa, the union insisted that every candidate contesting for the office of the Vice Chancellor of the institution should be given a fair chance and a level playing ground.
They further frowned at the discontent within the selection board on some criteria, stating that it appeared to be tailored towards the appointment of a particular candidate.
“It is shocking to hear that a Professor of fifteen years standing was scored zero on publications. If this is true, then it leaves much to be desired”, they said.
“The Union urges the Selection Board that in the light of the circumstances and since all the candidates had satisfied the requirement of ten years as professors; noting that they ought to be equally scored on publications
In their words: “The union urges the selection board to resolve all such issues in favour of all candidates before the collation of results to ensure that the university which has been riddled with crisis since the past seven years will know peace and make progress towards the attainment of its mandate.
They called on the Governing Council to stand bold to do justice, adding that nothing extraneous including scores from exercise carried out before the interview and test conducted by consultants and re-graded by persons outside the selection board should be discarded.
They further disclosed that no candidate has emerged as scores from members of the Joint Council and Senate Selection Board are yet to be collated.
This, they noted were contrary to media reports that a candidate has emerged.
“Those behind these reports ought to exercise extreme caution to avoid exacerbating the already brewing crisis in relation to the appointment of the sixth Vice Chancellor of the university”, ASUU further cautioned.
The union also condemned the demonstration by a group, demanding that an Abia indigene must be appointed as Vice Chancellor.
“This group of people ought to know that as a Federal Government established University, every qualified Nigerian has a right to aspire to the Vice Chancellorship of the University. It is important to note that as a global institution, any one, irrespective of race, religion, tribe, ethnicity etc. who meets the specified criteria is free to apply and be appointed the Vice Chancellor of the University.”
“The localization of our Universities by the insistence of local host communities that the position of Vice Chancellor be reserved for ‘Sons of the Soil’ deserves serious condemnation”, ASUU further maintained.
They further decried the short on delivering on the university’s mandate, revealing that only two out of five previous Vice-Chancellor of the institution were agriculturists. They called on the Governing Council to also consider appointing a Vice Chancellor from agriculture and related field, adding that this, has lately undermined the agriculture programmes of the university.
Information gathered revealed that about 30 Professors are keenly contested for Vice-Chancellorship of the institution.
