Group Urges Review Of ESUT VC’s Appointment

The Enugu Regional Association (ERA) has called for the review of the appointment of Prof. Luke Anike as the new vice-chancellor of the Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT).

The association, made-up of retired and serving senior staff of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka from the old Enugu region, made the call last Monday in Nsukka.

The group noted that injustice and irregularities characterised the appointment of Anike as the new vice-chancellor.

The President of the association, Prof. Aloysius Okolie, who addressed newsmen after their meeting, urged Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi to set up a commission of inquiry on the matter.

Okolie stressed the need for the commission to look into the circumstances that led to the retraction of the appointment of Prof. Ben-Chris Onah as the vice-chancellor after his ratification by former Governor Sullivan Chime.

“After an interview considered to be transparent, followed by rigorous rule of law and due process, the name of Prof. Ben-Chris Onah was submitted to the visitor and ratified.

“It was announced in the media for four to five days that he had been duly appointed as vice-chancellor of Enugu State University of Science and Technology.

“Surprisely, as he was invited to come and collect the letter of appointment, he got there and discovered that there had been a major twist and the twist was that the appointment paper had been given to another contender, Prof. Luke Anike,” he said.

Okolie said that ERA had no interest on who becomes the ESUT vice-chancellor but as stakeholders in advancing qualitative education and good governance in the state, should condemn injustice.

“We remain critical stakeholders in advancing qualitative education and good governance in the state.

“ERA wants the new governor to set up a commission of inquiry into the circumstances that led to the retraction of the appointment of Onah as the new VC after being ratified by the immediate past governor.

“As workers in the ivory tower, we need no further education on the process of selecting a vice-chancellor in a transparent manner,” he said

He said that the commission of inquiry had become necessary for the public to know why another candidate was given the appointment after the endorsement and announcement of a particular candidate.