Crisis Looms at UNIZIK as Fears Mount Over Credibility of Upcoming Vice Chancellor Appointment

Fresh concerns have emerged over the transparency and fairness of the ongoing Vice Chancellor selection process at Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, raising alarms among staff, students, and stakeholders who fear a repeat of past controversies.

The university community is once again engulfed in tension as allegations surface about secret deals, politically motivated appointments, and attempts to manipulate the forthcoming Vice Chancellor selection.

There are claims that sensitive offices within the institution have been strategically assigned to members of the Governing Council as part of a ploy to influence their choices during the selection process.

The acting Vice Chancellor, Prof. Carol Arinze-Umobi, and Pro-Chancellor Barr. Olugbenga Kukoyi are at the center of the controversy, with critics accusing them of favouring a preferred candidate. Internal actors, including the university’s ASUU chapter, have voiced strong opposition to the recent appointments and alleged political interference.

The concerns were raised as the process to appoint a substantive Vice Chancellor is about to commence at UNIZIK, located in Awka, Anambra State.

Tensions have been rising since May 2025, following President Tinubu’s intervention in a previous scandal involving an illegitimate VC appointment.

Stakeholders warn that a compromised selection process could plunge UNIZIK into deeper crisis and damage the institution’s academic integrity.

The last controversy led to the sack of the Amb. Greg Mbadiwe-led Governing Council after it was revealed that Prof. Bernard Odoh was wrongfully appointed using forged credentials.

Credible reports point to behind-the-scenes meetings between university officials and politically connected individuals aiming to impose a candidate. Some Heads of Departments are reportedly being targeted for removal and replaced with loyalists.

These actions, according to ASUU and observers, undermine university autonomy and threaten morale and productivity within the institution.

The Federal Government had previously disbanded university councils, including that of UNIZIK, in an attempt to sanitize tertiary education governance. However, the newly constituted council is now facing similar allegations, prompting calls for urgent federal oversight to prevent another leadership scandal.

“The appointment of a Vice Chancellor is not just administrative; it is a moral and academic statement. If politicized, it will betray the institution’s values and damage its future,” wrote Dr. Joachim Maduka, a research fellow, in an opinion piece calling for transparency.

With increasing scrutiny from the academic community and civil society, all eyes are now on UNIZIK’s Governing Council and federal education authorities.

There is a growing call for President Tinubu and the Ministry of Education to intervene and guarantee a credible, merit-based selection process—one that safeguards the university’s reputation and future.