By HARRIS EMMANUEL, Uyo

Authorities of the University of Uyo (UNIUYO), have stated that the emergence of the new Vice-Chancellor, Professor Nyaudoh Ndaeyo followed due process in line with the extant laws governing the universities.

Vice-Chancellor, Professor Eniefiok Essien, made the clarification while addressing a press conference at the Old Senate Chamber of the university, noting that the decision to pick Professor Ndaeyo was based on the fact that he was the most experienced of the three candidates.

A First Class graduate in Agronomy, he is reported to have served as Head of the department; Vice Dean, Faculty of Agriculture; Dean, Faculty of Agriculture; Chairman Committee of Deans and Deputy Vice-Chancellor.

Represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academic, Professor Eno Idem Usoro, the Vice-Chancellor whose tenure would end in November said, ‘’the law governing the appointments and removal of Vice-Chancellors as well as other principal officers of federal universities in Nigeria is the Universities 9Miscellanous Provisions) Law, comprising the Principal Act no 11 of 1993 and the subsequent amendments.

’Section 3 of the Law prescribes the term of office and the procedure for the appointment of a Vice-Chancellor. Subsection 3 of the law provides the composition of the Joint Council and Senate Selection Board which should be chaired by the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Governing Council, others being two members of Council not being members of Senate; and two members of Senate who are Professors, but who were not members of the search team.

‘’The members of the selection board are required to consider the candidates and persons shortlist by an examination of their curriculum vitae and interaction with them and recommend to the Council three candidates for further consideration. The selection of three of the highest appointable candidates was done by the board at its meeting held on Monday, October 5, 2020.

‘’The law in Article 4 subsection 3 of section 3 states; ‘’The Council shall select one candidate among the three candidates recommended to it under subsection 3 of this section.’ The University Governing Council met on Tuesday, October 6, 2020, for the purpose of selecting a vice-chancellor from the list of three names received from the board in line with the provisions of the Universities (Miscellaneous Provisions) Law.

‘’The Governing Council which had the Chairman and 12 other members present at that meeting, had accepted the recommendation of the Joint Council and Senate Board and resolved in line with the extant law to select the Vice-Chancellor through a secret vote. In the end, Professor Nyaudoh Ukpabio Ndaeyo had nine votes, Professor Edet Joshua Udoh had scored four votes and Professor Gabriel Sunday Umoh had scored zero votes.

‘’The Pro-Chancellor and Chairman, Governing Council, Professor Austin C. Awujo, led members of the Council to the front of the building where the special meeting of Council was held, and voluntarily announced the appointment of Professor Ndaeyo as the incoming Vice-Chancellor, to members of the press present. This was clearly caught on video.’’ (Vanguard)