- Removal Controversy: Prof Bernard Odoh, the sacked Vice-Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, rejects his removal through a press statement.
- Lack of Due Process: Odoh claims his removal didn’t follow due process, contrary to the Federal Government’s statement.
- Governing Council’s Role: He argues that only the governing council can recommend his removal after an investigation.
- Alleged Illegal Appointment: The Federal Government sacked Odoh and the governing council over reports of an illegal appointment without following due process.
- Pending Lawsuits: Odoh has four pending lawsuits filed against him in different courts.
Prof Bernard Odoh, the sacked Vice-Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, has expressed dissatisfaction with the manner of his removal, stating that it didn’t follow due process. In an interview on Arise TV, Odoh maintained that he won’t accept his removal through a press release but rather after the recommendations of an investigating council. He emphasized that the governing council, appointed by President Bola Tinubu, engaged him following due process, and therefore, the president cannot remove him through a press release.
Odoh also addressed allegations regarding his professorship, calling them false. He explained that when doubts were raised, the then-Registrar took his credentials to the Sokoto State High Court for validation. Furthermore, he criticized the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, for intervening prematurely, as several legal cases related to his appointment are still pending in court .
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) had earlier criticized the university’s governing council for allegedly failing to follow due process in Odoh’s appointment and demanded the dissolution of the council. Odoh’s removal has sparked controversy, with some attributing it to ethnic bias, as he is from Ebonyi State, considered a “third-class” region.
