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By Madu Obi
As the tenure of the current Vice Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Professor Charles Esimone draws near, interested groups have begun fierce moves to position their preferred candidates, with the management of the institution warning that the name of the university should not be dragged to the mud.
Professor Esimone's tenure would come to an end in June,2024. Several names are already making the rounds for the position of the next VC, and one of the front runners is the current Deputy Vice Chancellor, Administration, Professor Joseph Ikechebelu, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology, although no formal process has begun for the selection of Esimone's successor.
Worried by the ongoing interest of some individuals from outside the university in the appointment of UNIZIK VC, the management of the university warned against overheating the peaceful environment.
A statement from the university on Sunday reads: "The attention of Nnamdi Azikiwe University has been drawn to an obvious fabrication and falsehood being currently circulated by fifth columnists and opportunists about the race for the vice chancellorship of unizik.
In this intentionally fabricated falsehood, the fictitious writers concocted figments of their imagination as truth to deceive members of the public.
The University would like to state as follows:
"The Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka is a Federal University, funded by the Federal Government of Nigeria under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Education."
"The procedure for who emerges the Vice Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka is contained in a template clearly outlined and issued by the Federal Ministry of Education."
Based on these criteria, the Governing Council of the University and the University Senate jointly interview and appoint the most suitably qualified candidate following the Federal Government issued guidelines which are always strictly followed.
"Therefore, it is surprising that these merchants of falsehood would allege that candidates are being sponsored by political parties (the PDP and APGA) for extraneous reasons. Let it be stated that it is the Federal Government, through its due processes, that would determine who becomes the Vice Chancellor of Unizik"
"The current Vice Chancellor Prof Charles Okechukwu Esimone has performed creditably well by lifting the University to an enviable height. The Vice Chancellor has no right under the existing University law to appoint a successor or even influence the outcome of this race as this is the work of the Governing Council of the University."
"Therefore, the insinuation that the Vice Chancellor is supporting a particular candidate is untrue. The Vice Chancellor believes that who will succeed him as Vice Chancellor after he completes his five-year tenure in early June 2024 is in the hands of God and he has always said publicly that the best should emerge."
"The Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka strongly condemns this treacherous attempt to drag the name of this great University to the mud by these fictitious opportunists. It also condemns any further attempt to unnecessarily overheat the temperature of the University and cause anxiety among peace-loving staff and students of the University."
"The University management commends the Federal Government under His Excellency, President Ahmed Bola Tinubu, for the remarkable efforts being made to improve the lot of Universities in Nigeria, especially with regard to the welfare of staff and students."
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