Uneasy calm settles over Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo (FUHSO) as the frantic effort of the outgoing Vice Chancellor, Professor Innocent Ujah to appoint a Deputy Vice Chancellor pitches him against other management staff of the university.
Nigerian Anchor investigations reveal that on October 3, 2024, the VC summoned the Senate to elect Professor Oladapo Shittu as Deputy VC (Administration).
The position became vacant on September 30, following the expiration of the tenure of Professor Ediga Agbo in that office.
It was however revealed that Professor Shittu’s leave of absence from Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) also expired on September, 30 2024 and had bidden farewell to return as a staff of ABU.
Other Professors in the University cited relevant sections of the establishment Act of the University to fault the manner in which the VC went about the exercise.
According to a Professor who spoke to Nigerian Anchor, but requested not to have the name mentioned, “The Council is supposed to call for the process before the Vice-Chancellor can go ahead with it because until the Council receives the report and confirms the nominee, he cannot parade himself as Deputy Vice-Chancellor.”
Our source stated that, “according to the law, the Vice-Chancellor is supposed to present two candidates for the senate to elect one.”
The Vice Chancellor was also accused of ambushing the Senate by the procedure employed in tabling the subject at the meeting.
It was alleged that for a matter as weighty as appointment of the Deputy Vice (Administration) it was never listed on the agenda of the meeting.
It was also alleged that the VC neither informed the Pro-Chancellor nor informed the Governing Council of the University.
In fact, it was stated that the VC capitalised on the alleged incompetence of the Registrar to wangle his way through the senate approval.
“The incompetence of the Registrar was glaring by the fact that being the custodian of the law and being in attendance, he should have drawn the attention of the Vice-Chancellor to the illegality of his action, but he failed to do so,” it was alleged.
It was a fractious senate session where Professors opposed to the CV and those in support had virulent verbal exchanges with the VC being bombarded with several posers like:
“For a Vice-Chancellor who is due to vacate his position in a matter of four weeks, did he consider it proper to appoint a new Deputy Vice-Chancellor for an incoming Acting Vice-Chancellor?
Did the Vice-Chancellor carry the Governing Council (at least the Pro-Chancellor) along and seek their consent before proceeding with the action?”
Over all, it was alleged that the Vice Chancellor called the bluff of the lecturers, insisting that as the CEO of the University, he does not need to consult the Council on every matter.
