Stakeholders Disagree Over Law On IAUE VC’s Appointment

The new law recently
passed by the Rivers State House of Assembly on the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education (IAUOE), on the appointment of a substantive vice chancellor for the university has continued to generate mixed reactions from stakeholders.
The new law stipulates that the condition for qualification as vice chancellor is 10 years professorial experience.
But some stakeholders have faulted the position of the law on the vice chancellor’s appointment, on the ground that the IAUOE, as a special university of education, should be operated on specific institutional objective and target as embedded in the existing law governing the institution.
The stakeholders, who expressed the discontent over the new law, in a press statement, in Port Harcourt, said the law was not in the best interest of the academic community and Rivers State in general, as it appears skewed to favour certain individuals against the candidate that has certified due screening and selection for the position.
The statement, which was reflective of the views of concerned lecturers and students of the community in IAUOE and Rivers State in general, was signed by Dr. Hyginus Oku, representing the concerned lecturers in IAUOE, Legborsi Yaamabana of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) and Timi Mbaba.
The stakeholders argued that the existing law, which states that; “The candidate for the appointment into the position of vice chancellor in the IAUOE should be a professor of education”, should remain sacrosanct.
They cautioned against the tendency of appointing an external vice chancellor for the university as a disincentive to achieving the specific objectives and mandate of the university, adding that “the move does not encourage internal dedication”.
The group also picked hole in the conduct of the public hearing before the passage of the law, noting that critical stakeholders were not present at the hearing.
The group appealed to the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, not to assent to the bill, but use his good offices and humane discretion to do justice to the matter.