All appears not to be well at Admiralty University of Nigeria (ADUN), Ibusa, Delta state, over the vice chancellorship succession crisis in the Navy institution.
The crisis is said to be prompted by the alleged quest for tenure extension by the outgoing Vice Chancellor, Prof. Paul Omaji.
It was gathered that despite the Federal Government’s dissolution of the Governing Councils of federal universities and the seeming refusal of the outgoing VC to handover office or in alternative
secure another term is fueling concerns in the institution.
A staff of the the university, who craved anonymity, said many lecturers and students are not happy with the VC leadership style, describing it as autocratic.
He said until the visitor of the University appoints a Vice Chancellor, documents sign by anyone occupying the office from July 1st will not be valid.
“Any piece of document signed by any personality from July 1 until the Visitor, President, appoints a real Vice Chancellor, shall be null, void, and of no effect,” he said.
He further said Omaji behaves as if he is not aware of the university laws, whose first schedule of Establishment Act (2022) Paragraphs (12)-(14) prescribes that, “There shall be no Sole Administrator in the University, but the Senate of the University shall nominate an ‘Acting Vice Chancellor’ to the Council to appoint. Such Acting Vice Chancellor, in all circumstances, shall not be in office for more than six months….
“If Prof. Omaji is properly and legally appointed ADUN VC by the Visitor, I will congratulate and work with him the same way I did during his tenure,” he said.
Recall that on June 16, 2023, Federal Government dissolved all governing boards/councils of federal agencies, institutions, and government-owned companies, and directed that all matters requiring Council attention should be referred to the President of Nigeria through the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) through the Permanent Secretary of the relevant ministry.
Prior to the 2023 general elections, the VC was accused of highhandedness in the school.
Omaji has reportedly completed his first tenure but instead of handing over after the dissolution of the governing councils of federal government institutions as stipulated by federal government circular to that effect dated June 22, 2024, he allegedly refused to handover to the Acting Vice Chancellor to be appointed by the university Senate.
Omaji had earlier in his reaction to accusation of impunity in the university, denied all the allegations levelled against him, saying that they were just to tarnish his hard-earned image.
“This university has procedures laid out for engaging staff. We have different categories. We have ongoing staff and staff on contract. And the contract is either for one year or two years as the case maybe, even three years. At senior level, we even go as high as five years,” he said.
On freedom of speech on the campus, he said the university has several organs where staff and students have the opportunity to articulate their views without hindrance.
