Striking top doctors jubilate as Tinubu sacks UNIZIK VC

The Medical and Dental Consultants’ Association of Nigeria has lauded the President Bola Tinunu over the sacking of the Vice-Chancellor of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Prof Bernard Udoh, and Registrar, Mrs Rosemary Nwokike.

The association, which had been on strike since Monday over Udoh’s appointment, however, said it would not call off the seven-day warning strike until the National Executive Council meets on Friday.

The National President of MDCAN, Prof Muhammad Muhammad, said the decisions made at the NEC meeting on Friday would determine the association’s next line of action.

He said, “We are excited that one of our demands have been met. This is really impressive, and we are happy about it.

“We just met with the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Dr Ipalibo Banigo, today (Wednesday), and she appealed to us to consider the public, and promised to meet with the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education on all our demands by next week.

“We are also meeting with the Ministry of Labour and Employment tomorrow (Thursday). After the meeting with the Ministry of Labour, the NEC can then schedule a meeting for Friday to know what to do next.”

MDCAN had embarked on a seven-day warning strike to press home its demands, including the sacking of the UNIZIK VC.

The strike, which commenced on Monday, grounded medical activities in 83 health facilities and 64 medical schools across the country.

The association had earlier protested the exclusion of medical lecturers from appointment as UNIZIK VC.

It demanded that the Federal Government should relieve the Chairman of the Governing Council of Nnamdi Azikiwe University of his appointment as council chairman, for his insubordination and to enforce the Ministry of Education’s directive nullifying any appointments subsequent to their directives; and to develop an all-inclusive prototype of advertisement for the Office of Vice-Chancellor.

Other demands are the harmonisation of the retirement age of Medical Consultants to 70 years; the harmonisation of payment of emoluments of the Consolidated Salary Structure to ensure universal applicability of CONMESS to all Medical and Dental officers; and the payment of 2023 and 2024, Clinical Duty Allowance areas, and 2023 25 per cent/35 per cent CONMESS arrears.

Bowing to pressure on Wednesday, President Bola Tinubu dissolved the Governing Council of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University in Awka, Anambra State, and removed its new VC, Prof Odoh and registrar, Nwokike.

He also approved the removal of Ohieku Salami as the Pro-chancellor and Chairman of the governing council of the Federal University of Health Sciences in Otukpo, Benue State.

A statement signed by Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, titled ‘President Tinubu sacks Nnamdi Azikiwe University Council, VC and Registrar’, noted that, “The sacking of the governing council and officials followed reports that the council illegally appointed an unqualified vice-chancellor without following due process.

“After the controversial appointment, the Federal Government stepped in to address tensions between the university’s Senate and the governing council of the 23-year-old institution.

“The government expressed concern over the council’s apparent disregard for the university’s governing laws in its selection process,” said Onanuga.

The NAU council, led by Greg Ozumba Mbadiwe, included five other members: Hafiz Oladejo, Augustine Onyedebelu, and Amioleran Osahon, and Gen. Funsho Oyeneyin (retd.)

In the same vein, Tinubu also approved the removal of Ohieku Salami as the Pro-chancellor and Chairman of the governing council of the Federal University of Health Sciences in Otukpo, Benue State.

The Presidency said, “The decision followed Salami’s illegal actions, including suspending the Vice-Chancellor without following the prescribed procedures.”

“Despite the Federal Ministry of Education’s call for the unlawful suspension to be revoked, Salami refused to comply.

“Instead, he resorted to abusive and threatening behaviour towards the Ministry’s Directors, including the Permanent Secretary,” the statement read.

Similarly, the Federal Ministry of Education announced the removal of Odoh.

The ministry also announced the dissolution of the institution’s governing council.

This was disclosed in a statement on Wednesday by the Director of Press and Public Relations, Folashade Boriowo.

“The Federal Government has announced the dissolution of the Governing Council of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, following grave breaches of the laws governing the university and disregard for lawful directives from the Federal Ministry of Education.

“The decision comes after it was found that the Chairman of the Governing Council unilaterally appointed a Vice-Chancellor who did not meet the minimum eligibility criteria for the position. This led to a breakdown of law and order within the university community, causing tension and disharmony.

“The Honourable Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, emphasised that urgent measures were needed to prevent further deterioration of the situation at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, as the illegal decisions taken by the Governing Council posed a significant risk of further destabilising the institution.

“The Honourable Minister of Education has also announced the removal of Prof Bernard Odoh, the Vice-Chancellor who was illegally appointed by the dissolved Governing Council of Nnamdi Azikiwe University.

“In accordance with the university’s founding act, an Acting Vice-Chancellor will be appointed, and a new governing council for the university will be constituted as soon as possible to ensure proper governance and adherence to the law.”

The President also approved the removal of Ohieku Salami as Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of the Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo, Benue State.

The Presidency said, “The decision followed Salami’s illegal actions, including suspending the vice-chancellor without following the prescribed procedures.

“Despite the Federal Ministry of Education’s call for the unlawful suspension to be revoked, Salami refused to comply.

“Instead, he resorted to abusive and threatening behaviour towards the ministry’s Directors, including the Permanent Secretary,” the statement read.

In another statement on Wednesday, Alausa announced Salami’s sack due to actions “unbecoming of his office and violations of established procedures.”

According to a statement by Boriowo, Alausa said the decision followed a series of unprofessional actions by Salami, “including the suspension of the Vice-Chancellor without following the prescribed procedures.”

The statement noted that despite intervention by the education ministry and formal requests to rescind the unlawful suspension, Salami refused to comply, resorting to “abusive and threatening behaviour towards the ministry’s directors, including the Permanent Secretary.

“The Honourable Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, noted that such conduct undermines the ministry’s supervisory role over the university and jeopardises the institution’s stability and governance.

“In line with this decision, the minister has requested the appointment of a new Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council for the Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo, to restore proper governance and ensure the university operates in accordance with the principles of law, due process and accountability.”

Tinubu also approved the immediate swap of the pro-chancellors and chairmen of the governing councils for the Federal University Oye-Ekiti and Federal University, Lokoja.

“In this reshuffling, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba (SAN), currently serving as the Pro-Chancellor of Federal University Lokoja, will take over at Federal University Oye-Ekiti,” Onanuga revealed in a statement Wednesday.

The statement is titled ‘President Tinubu approves leadership changes at Federal Universities in Oye-Ekiti and Lokoja.’

“Kayode Ojo, who previously held a similar position at Oye-Ekiti, will assume the role in Lokoja,” the statement read further.

Onanuga said the “strategic change” was part of the President’s initiative to foster diversity and national cohesion in managing the country’s universities.

The Federal Government reiterated that the primary responsibility of university councils was to ensure the smooth operation of university activities following the act establishing each university.

The President, therefore, warned the councils “not to create distractions in their universities as his government is focused on improving the country’s education standards.”

Stating the reason for the swap, a statement from the education ministry noted that, “This change comes after it was noted that the current Pro-Chancellor of the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti, Engr Kayode Ojo, is an indigene of Ekiti State.

“As part of the ministry’s commitment to promoting national integration and ensuring impartial oversight, it is standard practice for Pro-Chancellors to be appointed from outside the state of the university.

“This ensures unbiased governance and supports the core values of diversity and national unity.”