Awka, Nigeria – Bernard Odoh, the former vice-chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), has voiced strong objections to his removal by President Bola Tinubu, calling the decision procedurally flawed and unjust.
In an interview on November 21 with AriseTV, Odoh criticized the method of his dismissal, arguing that his appointment, which was not announced via a press release, should not have been terminated through the same medium.
On November 20, President Tinubu dissolved UNIZIK’s governing council and relieved both Odoh and the university’s registrar of their duties. According to a statement issued by Bayo Onanuga, the president’s special adviser on information and strategy, Odoh’s appointment was deemed “illegal” and his qualifications for the role were called into question.
Odoh has firmly rejected these allegations, defending his qualifications and the process that led to his appointment. “I became a professor on October 1, 2015, and my appointment as vice-chancellor was based on merit after evaluation by three external assessors,” he stated, refuting claims that his credentials were falsified. He alleged that his academic records had been tampered with to undermine his credibility.
Odoh also expressed frustration over what he called a lack of adherence to due process in his removal, highlighting that the governing council, responsible for such recommendations, had not yet completed its review. He further pointed out that the legality of his appointment is currently under consideration in the federal high court in Abuja and an industrial court.
“The president’s decision preempts the legal process. A proper panel of inquiry was not even convened, and I wasn’t given an opportunity to defend myself,” Odoh argued, adding that the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, acted prematurely.
The former VC also alleged that ethnic bias played a role in the campaign against him. “I’m from Ebonyi State. We are regarded as third-class people. People feel I’m not qualified because I come from Ebonyi State,” he remarked.
Odoh warned that the university faces significant challenges without a vice-chancellor, registrar, and governing council, potentially jeopardizing critical operations such as accreditation and governance. He urged President Tinubu to reconsider the decision, stating, “Mr. President must have been ill-advised. He can remove me but only through the council.”
While emphasizing his respect for the president’s authority, Odoh insisted on the importance of following due process, concluding that his removal should not punish the governing council for their role in his appointment.