COOU Staff Hail Soludo’s Due Process Stance, Urges Declaration of Substantive Vice Chancellor

By Our Reporter

Some staff of the Anambra owned Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University have called on Gov. Chukwuma Soludo to announce the substantive Vice Chancellor of the institution to mark the end of the selection process.

The staff members of who made the call in a Statement in Awka on Wednesday commended Soludo for insisting on due process and also the Council for their painstaking effort.

The Statement which was signed by Prof. Peter Okonkwo, Prof. Stephen Unachukwu and Prof. Mbanefo Odum on behalf of others said the search and selection committees had concluded their processes and submitted the result to Soludo.

They urged the Governor to act on the recommendations before him, noting that this was for first time in the 25 years of the university that the institution witnessed a transparent and credible selection process.

A source said the committee recommendation of the joint selection committee was submitted to the governor on Friday, Aug. 1.

The Dons said the Governor under a legally binding and procedural framework directed the Governing Council of the University under the leadership of Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, to ensure strict compliance with due process

“Credit must be given to the Visitor, Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo, who, with an in-depth understanding of the University system, declined to predetermine a preferred outcome.

“Equal commendation is due to the Seven member Joint Council Senate Selection and Appointment Committee, which conducted a seamless process that was unanimously endorsed by all members without dispute.

“The Joint Council /Senate Selection Committee, having completed their assignment and submitted to the visitor, it is expected that the visitor should, in line with Ordinance 11 (4d) appoint the candidate who placed first,” it said.

The staff members said the vacant position of the VC was advertised in Vanguard Newspaper of Jan. 2, with the statutory conditions for VC candidates as contained in COOU Law, 2014 expressly spelt out for internal and external applicants.

They said the Governing Council adhered to the principles of the rule of law and due process and urged Soludo to fulfill the promise he made during the convocation to announce the VC as soon as he got the result.

They said the Governing Council had complied with the law which says that the joint selection committee shall in light of the relevant provisions recommend three persons in order of merit, for the consideration.

“The Council shall consider the list so submitted, determine its own order of merit in accordance with the provisions of the University’s governing documents, and recommend to the Visitor for appointment the candidate placed first in its merit ranking.

“The Council shall also forward the names of the candidates placed second and third, together with a reasoned justification for its determined order of merit,” it said.