The outgoing vice chancellor of the University of Uyo (UNIUYO), Prof Eniefiok Essien has said that the emergence of the new vice chancellor, Prof Nyaudoh Ndaeyo was in line with the extant laws governing the Nigerian universities.
Speaking at press conference held at the Old Senate Chamber of the university on Wednesday, Essien stated that Ndaeyo’s emergence was based on the fact that he was the most experienced of the three candidates.
Essien who was represented by the deputy vice chancellor, academic, Prof Eno Idem Usoro said Ndaeyo had nine votes, while his closest rival, Prof Edet Joshua Udoh scored four votes and Prof Gabriel Sunday Umoh, zero.
He said the law governing the appointments and removal of vice chancellors as well as other principal officers of federal universities in Nigeria is the Universities 9 Miscellaneous Provisions) Law, comprising the Principal Act no 11 of 1993 and the subsequent amendments was followed.
“Section 3 of the Law prescribes the term of office and the procedure for the appointment of a vice chancellor. Subsection 3 of the law provides 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.
‘’The members of the selection board are required to consider the candidates and persons shortlist 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.’ 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.
“The governing council which had the chairman and 12 other members present at that meeting had accepted the recommendation of the joint council and senate board and resolved in line with the extant law to select the vice chancellor through a secret vote. In the end, Prof Nyaudoh Ukpabio Ndaeyo had nine votes, Prof Edet Joshua Udoh had scored four votes and Prof Gabriel Sunday Umoh had scored zero votes.
“Council had therefore approved the appointment of Prof 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. This was clearly caught on video.’’
Recall that Ndaeyo’s appointment was announced yesterday in a statement issued by the institution’s registrar and secretary, governing council Mr. Aniediabasi Udofia.
According to the statement, the governing council appointed the new vice chancellor at its special meeting on Monday, October 5.
“The governing council of the University of Uyo had, at its special meeting on Monday, approved the appointment of Professor Nyaudoh Ukpabio Ndaeyo as the 8th substantive vice chancellor of the university.
“Ndaeyo is a professor of farming systems; holds a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Farm Systems and a Masters degree in Agronomy both from the University of Ibadan,’’ Udofia said.
Prior to his appointment, Ndaeyo who takes over from Essien, who serves out his five-year tenure at the end of November, was the deputy vice-chancellor in charge of administration and immediate past Dean, Faculty of Agriculture.
