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Eleven jostle to replace Ahaneku as UNIZIK VC

By Osiberoha Osibe, Awka
07 January 2019   |   2:59 am
No fewer than 11 professors are believed to have en eye on the vice chancellorship seat of the prestigious Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, come June this year. The out-going Vice Chancellor, Prof. Joseph Ebelendu Ahaneku, who is from Mbaise in Imo State, took over as the vice chancellor from Prof. Boniface Egboka in…

UNIZIK<br />

No fewer than 11 professors are believed to have en eye on the vice chancellorship seat of the prestigious Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, come June this year.

The out-going Vice Chancellor, Prof. Joseph Ebelendu Ahaneku, who is from Mbaise in Imo State, took over as the vice chancellor from Prof. Boniface Egboka in June 2014 and was due to proceed on sabbatical leave since December 2018.

However, it is not certain if he has proceeded, as insinuations emerged that he is lobbying the powers-that-be in Abuja for an extension of his tenure by at least one year.

His interest may not be in tune with the posture of his traducers who found relief in the posture of the University’s Governing Council, which was inaugurated in 2018.

The Council, it was learnt, was disposed to the ploy to extend Ahaneku’s tenure, but rather approved and announced that “the position of the vice chancellor will become vacant in June 2019.

According to a press statement made available to newsmen in Awka at the weekend, applicants are expected to forward their applications not later than six weeks with effect from Thursday, January 3, 2018.

Feelers indicate that the announcement for submission of application by interested contestants for the position of the vice chancellor of UNIZIK will open a floodgate.

Prior to the announcement of the vacancy, The Guardian investigation revealed that no fewer than 10 professors in the institution are eyeing the vice chancellorship seat, excluding others in and outside the university community.

According to the press statement by the Secretary to the Council and acting Registrar, Okonkwo, the candidate must, inter alia “be highly distinguished and self-motivated academic of the rank of Professor of not less ten (10) years’ experience on that rank in a reputable University”.

However, under the vice chancellorship tenure of Egboka, an impeccable source in the university, who pleaded anonymity, said the number of years a contestant must have attained as a professor to vie for the seat of the vice chancellor was reduced to seven years, an action that believably made some applicants eligible to run for the position in 2014.

In addition, the statement stated that the candidate “must not be more than 65 years of age at the time of assumption of office, should be able to serve the full term of five years before attaining the retirement age of 70 years and must be physically and mentally fit.”

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