“Maintain Status Quo” — Court Halts UNICAL VC Selection Process Over Disputed 10-Year Experience Requirement
The National Industrial Court of Nigeria sitting in Calabar has issued an interim order restraining the University of Calabar (UNICAL) and its Governing Council from proceeding with the ongoing selection process for a new Vice-Chancellor.
The order followed a motion ex-parte filed in Suit No. NICN/CA/40/2025 by Professor Joseph Eyo Duke, who is challenging the validity of an advert published on 27 May 2025, which required applicants for the Vice-Chancellorship position to possess a minimum of 10 years of post-professorial experience.
Prof. Duke contends that the 10-year post-professorial requirement stemmed from an emergency meeting of the Governing Council held on 25 March 2025, which he described as unlawful. According to him, the criterion lacks any legal or regulatory backing and was arbitrarily introduced to sideline qualified candidates.
The motion, dated and filed on 21 July 2025 through his counsel, Ubong Akpan, Esq., sought an interim injunction restraining the university and its Governing Council from acting upon or enforcing the terms of the advertisement pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.
In his ruling, Hon. Justice Sanusi Kado granted accelerated hearing of both the motion on notice and the substantive suit, and ordered that the matter be transferred to the Abuja Division of the court for hearing before a vacation judge. He also directed all parties to maintain the status quo and refrain from taking any steps that may jeopardise the fair adjudication of the case.
The order, signed and sealed by the court’s registrar, Egba Juliet Peter, explicitly bars the university from continuing with the VC selection process until the motion is determined.
The case is now scheduled for hearing on 7 August 2025 at the National Industrial Court in Abuja.
