Ambassador Greg Mbadiwe Clarifies Misinformation Surrounding Acting Vice-Chancellor Appointment at UNIZIK
The Pro-Chancellor emphasized that Prof. Joseph Ikechebelu was never formally appointed as Acting Vice-Chancellor by the Council. Instead, Prof. Ikechebelu had temporarily overseen the office based on directives from the National Universities Commission (NUC).
Zita Ezechi 
Ambassador Greg Mbadiwe, the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), has issued a statement to address recent misinformation regarding the removal of Prof. Joe Ikechebelu as Acting Vice-Chancellor. In his statement, Ambassador Mbadiwe aimed to clarify the circumstances surrounding the appointment and subsequent actions taken by the university's governing bodies.
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"I write to address the recent misinformation circulating regarding the appointment of an Acting Vice-Chancellor at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka," Ambassador Mbadiwe's statement began, seeking to dispel confusion over the leadership transition.
The Pro-Chancellor emphasized that Prof. Joseph Ikechebelu was never formally appointed as Acting Vice-Chancellor by the Council. Instead, Prof. Ikechebelu had temporarily overseen the office based on directives from the National Universities Commission (NUC), pending the formal inauguration of the Council.
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Ambassador Mbadiwe further elaborated on the Council's response to appeals from the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) at UNIZIK. He disclosed that the Council had directed the nomination of former Deputy Vice-Chancellors aged between 65 and 70 years for the Acting Vice-Chancellor position. However, there was purported reluctance to convene an emergency Senate meeting to formalize these nominations.
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"In response to this situation, concerned Senators of the University, numbering over 35, invoked The Doctrine of Necessity to convene an emergency Senate meeting," Ambassador Mbadiwe explained. This emergency meeting led to the Senate forwarding the names of two former Deputy Vice-Chancellors to the Council, aiming to prevent potential constitutional challenges and uphold university governance.
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"The Senate took this action to avoid a constitutional logjam and to prevent the university from facing imminent anarchy and collapse," Ambassador Mbadiwe emphasized, highlighting the critical nature of the Senate's intervention in maintaining institutional stability.
