365NEWS gathered A Federal High Court sitting in Enugu State on Thursday, restrained the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, UNN, from conducting a convocation election until the determination of a suit brought before it by some aspirants in the election following an alleged breach of the Standing Orders of Proceedings of the Convocation election by the Acting Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Polycarp Chigbu.
The plaintiffs in a suit number FHC/E/CS/217/2024, stated that Professor Chigbu breached sections 20 and 22 of the Standing Orders of the Convocation as he allegedly changed some procedures of the election without a properly constituted convocation meeting.
A source who pleaded for anonymity said “On the 7th of November, 2024 and as required by law, the University of Nigeria published the procedures for a convocation meeting where the convocation representatives in the University of Nigeria Governing Council will be elected. However, while the Registrar of the University was away on an official duty, the Ag. Vice Chancellor, in what many members of the University described as an “act of rascality and a gestapo style of impunity,” truncated the process by unilaterally publishing a completely set of different procedures on 21st November, 2024 without reference to subsisting publication of 7th November and the Standing Order of Proceedings of the convocation, an action many perceive as geared towards favouring his close associate.”
It was gathered that the standing orders of the convocation restrains anyone, including the Vice Chancellor from changing any part of its proceedings without a properly constituted convocation meeting. Part of the orders reads “the standing orders may be amended by notice of a motion in writing. Such motion shall be carried by two-thirds members of convocation present and voting.”
Another source in the University also said “Considering all these observed anomalies, the aspirants approached the Court. During the Court proceedings on Thursday 28 November, 2024, evidence of services of the court processes on the defendants’, which included the University of Nigeria, Ag. Vice-Chancellor Prof. Polycarp Emeka Chigbu, and the Convocation, were presented to the Court.
After listening to the presentations, the Judge adjourned the matter, but emphatically said that the University of Nigeria, as federal institution, should be aware that proceeding further with any of the process that is being challenged in court, having being duly served, is not acceptable in law. The Judge’s position is completely in line with the well established tradition in law, which requires all parties to stay action on matters pending before a court of competent jurisdiction. However, the current Ag. Vice Chancellor has little regard for the rule of law.”
One of the plaintiffs who spoke to Vanguard on condition of anonymity called on the Pro-Chancellor of the University, General Ike Nwachukwu (Rtd), not to allow his reputation to be soiled by the Acting Vice Chancellor. He equally urged General Nwachukwu to save the University from the brewing crisis by ensuring that the proceedings of the convocation election follow due process in accordance with the law and the standing orders of the convocation of the University.
He stated that the Acting Vice Chancellor’s consultation of stakeholders in the University to change the standing orders of convocation is “fraudulent tactics” as stakeholders are not an organ of the University.
“Members of the Senate are members of the convocation and the Vice Chancellor never mentioned such matter in any of the Senate meeting. Which stakeholder is bigger than the Senate of the University and the Convocation itself”?
Sources who spoke agreed that there may be a need to reform the convocation election, but that such reform should be done in accordance with the laws and standing orders of the University. They stated that the way and manner the Ag. Vice Chancellor is pursuing the current election raises a lot of suspicion and points to an ulterior motives.
Inquires made about the company, ARROW FAST LIMITED Rg No. 1408710, which has been hired to undertake the online registration and conduct the online voting raises even more questions about the integrity and fairness of the entire process. It was gathered that the company has never undertaking any of such projects before.
The Counsel to the Plaintiffs, Barrister C. D Eze, said whatever UNN does with regards to the election is subject to the decision of the court since it has been served.
“After moving our application in the court, the judge asked whether we have served UNN. When we answered in the affirmative, the judge said that whatever UNN does with the election is subject to the decision of the court since the institution is aware of the case.
“We didn’t get injunction because UNN was not in court that day,” he said.
When contacted, the UNN’s Legal Adviser, Barr. M.A Obayi, declined to comment on the matter.
It was gathered that January 15, 2025 has been fixed for the hearing of the case.
