…Affirms appointment of UNIUYO substantive VC
The University of Uyo (UNIUYO) has cleared the air on the controversy surrounding the appointment of Prof Nyaudo Ndaeyo as the 8th substantive Vice Chancellor of the institution.
According to the authorities of the institution, the appointment of Prof Ndaeyo followed due process and extant laws.
Recall that some aggrieved members of the Senate of the University have petitioned the Governing Council over an alleged decision by the outgoing Vice-Chancellor of the University of Uyo (UNIUYO), Prof. Enefiok Essien, to manipulate the selection process.
The outgoing Vice Chancellor, Professor Enefiok Essien who debunked the allegation of manipulating the process that produce Professor Nyaudo Ndaeyo as his sucessor in December 1 during a press conference in the Old senate Chambers of UNIUYO affirmed Prof Ndaeyo, first alumnus of the University as the 8th substantive VC.
He noted that the process was properly guided by the relevant law regarding the appointment of principal officers of federal university which is the Universities 9Miscellanous Provisions) Law, comprising the Principal Act no 11 of 1993 and the subsequent amendments.
Professor Essien stated that nine aspirants contested for the position of Vice Chancellor of the institution out of which three names were selected according to the law and recommended to the Governing Council to choose one of them as a substantive VC.
He added that council cast their votes through secret balloting for the three candidates which Professor Nyaudo Ndaeyo scored nine votes, Professor Edet Joshua Udoh had 4 votes and Professor Gabriel Sunday Umoh had scored zero votes.
Prof Essien who was represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academic, Professor Eno Idem Usoro further stated that among the three candidates, Prof Ndaeyo had the best qualification as a First Class graduate in Agronomy and also has more experience than others having served as Head of the department; Vice Dean, Faculty of Agriculture; Dean, Faculty of Agriculture; Chairman Committee of Deans and Deputy Vice-Chancellor.
The VC asserted that Section 3 of the Law prescribes the term of office and the procedure for the appointment of a Vice-Chancellor while subsection 3 of the law provides for 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.
He stated that the law says members of the selection board are required to consider the candidates and persons shortlisted 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,’ he noted.
“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.
‘’Council had therefore approved the appointment of Professor Nyaudoh Ukpabio Ndaeyo, Professor of Farm Systems, Department of Crop Science, Faculty of Agriculture, as the 8th substantive Vice-Chancellor of the university, with effect from December 1, 2020, based on the result of the secret vote.
‘’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.
