•Protesting UNIZIK students
The crisis at Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, Anambra State, has escalated, with members of the institution’s Senate calling for the dissolution of the newly appointed governing council.
During a Senate meeting yesterday, protests erupted as members held placards with various messages, urging President Bola Tinubu to dissolve the council, which is led by Ambassador Greg Mbadiwe, in order to restore peace.
Students have also threatened unrest over the ongoing situation, reports The Nation.
The institution, named after Nigeria’s first president, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, has been embroiled in a leadership crisis following the exit of former Vice-Chancellor Prof. Charles Esimone on June 4.
Prof. Joseph Ikechebelu initially took over as acting VC before the council appointed Prof. Carol Umobi to serve as acting VC for six months, further intensifying the conflict.
The Senate meeting was intended to elect Senate representatives for the search committee for a new vice-chancellor and the interview panel for the registrar position.
However, the session ended in discord, with participants attributing the crisis to the actions of Pro-Chancellor Greg Mbadiwe.
One Senate member, speaking anonymously to our correspondent today, described the meeting as “heated” and said the situation remains unresolved.
“Politicians want to kill the education system in Nigeria. Everybody wants to nominate who will become the Vice Chancellor of UNIZIK but we are saying ‘NO’
“Our president has to do our bidding by dissolving this current Governing Council or closing this institution. The students are warming up to cause mayhem and we’re not ready to calm them down until things are done the right way,” the source said.
They expressed frustration that all efforts to persuade the Pro-Chancellor, Ambassador Greg Mbadiwe, to act reasonably had failed.
However, another Senate member told our correspondent that Mbadiwe had done nothing wrong and that those calling for the dissolution of the Council were being unreasonable.
The source stated: “They’re upset with Amb. Mbadiwe because he wants to reform the old ways of doing things, which is why they’re blaming politicians. I don’t believe politicians are involved in this power struggle at UNIZIK.”
Senate members unanimously criticised the criteria for the Vice-Chancellor position, particularly the requirement for candidates to have secured a grant of N400 million for the university.
They vowed not to cooperate with the current Governing Council and called for the extension of the Acting Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Carol Arinze-Umobi, until a new Council is formed.
