Some staff members of the Anambra-owned Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University have urged Governor Chukwuma Soludo to announce a substantive Vice Chancellor, marking the conclusion of the selection process.
The call was made in a press statement issued in Awka on Wednesday, where they also commended the Governor for upholding due process and the Council for their painstaking effort.
The statement, which was signed by Prof. Peter Okonkwo, Prof. Stephen Unachukwu and Prof. Mbanefo Odum on behalf of others, noted that the search and selection committees had concluded their processes and submitted the results to the governor.
They appealed to the governor to act on the recommendations before him, highlighting that, for the first time in the university’s 25-year history, the selection process was transparent and credible.
It was gathered that the committee’s recommendation of the joint selection committee was submitted to the governor on Friday, August 1.
The Dons said the governor, under a legally binding and procedural framework, directed the Governing Council of the University under the leadership of Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, to ensure strict compliance with due process.
The statement read in part, “Credit must be given to the Visitor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, who, with an in-depth understanding of the University system, declined to predetermine a preferred outcome.
“Equal commendation is due to the seven-member Joint Council Senate Selection and Appointment Committee, which conducted a seamless process that was unanimously endorsed by all members without dispute.
“The Joint Council/Senate Selection Committee, having completed their assignment and submitted to the visitor, it is expected that the visitor should, in line with Ordinance 11 (4d), appoint the candidate who placed first.”
The staff members recalled that the vacant position of the VC was advertised in the newspaper on January 2, with the statutory conditions for VC candidates as outlined in the COOU Law, 2014, expressly spelt out for internal and external applicants.
They noted that the Governing Council adhered to the principles of the rule of law and due process and urged Soludo to fulfil the promise he made during the convocation to announce the VC once the selection process was concluded.
They said the Governing Council had complied with the law, which says that the joint selection committee shall, in light of the relevant provisions, recommend three persons in order of merit, for consideration.
“The Council shall consider the list so submitted, determine its order of merit following the provisions of the University’s governing documents, and recommend to the Visitor for appointment the candidate placed first in its merit ranking.
“The Council shall also forward the names of the candidates placed second and third, together with a reasoned justification for its determined order of merit,” the statement concluded.
