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From Tony Okafor, Awka.
An alleged plan to elongate the tenure of the Vice-Chancellor of Anambra State-owned Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Prof. Fidelis Okafor, has created tension in the institution.
The situation, insiders say, has pitted the Academic Staff Union of Universities and the non- teaching staff against each other.
Okafor’s tenure is expected to end in September.
The institution’s chapter of ASUU had written the visitor of the university, Governor Willie Obiano, asking him not to reappoint Okafor. It also asked the governor to appoint another person to replace the VC.
But at a news conference at the Igbariam campus of the university on Thursday, the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, National Association of Academic Technologists, and Non Academic Staff Union urged Obiano to ignore the Emeka Nwabunnia-led ASUU.
The unions said: “Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University law, Ref: ANHA/LAW. 2014.12, which our governor signed on the 12th of November, 2014, took a retrospective effect from 11th September, 2014.
“The Anambra State University of Science and Technology Law, 2000 (which later became Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University) had been repealed and so, the law governing this university took effect from September, 2014.
“What this means is that the tenure of Prof. Okafor as the vice chancellor of COOU took effect from 11th September, 2014 and will end on 11th September, 2019.”
Former SSANU chairman in the university, Mr. Vincent Asoegwu, took umbrage at ASUU, alleging that the union “often acts unilaterally on matters affecting the entire university community.”
In response, ASUU chairman, Emeka Nwabunnia, enjoined the government not to re-appoint Okafor, saying it would amount to “tenure elongation.”
Nwabunnia said the institution had no properly constituted and functioning governing council since January 2015 that would ensure the smooth appointment of an acting vice chancellor after Prof. Okafor.
He said, “It is the governing council that ought to announce the vacancy for the seat of the vice-chancellor, which is usually made six months to the end of the incumbent’s tenure; but that has not been done.”
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Source: Punch News