Abia Youth Transparency Initiative backs lawful VC selection at Michael Okpara University, warns against disruption and ethnic lobbying.
The Abia Youth Transparency Initiative has issued a strong warning against attempts to disrupt the appointment of the 7th Vice Chancellor of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, insisting that due process must be respected and protected.
Addressing journalists, stakeholders, students, alumni, and members of the public, the group described recent agitations over the Vice Chancellor selection process as unnecessary and potentially destabilizing. According to the Initiative, the Governing Council is acting strictly within its constitutional and statutory mandate as provided under federal laws guiding Nigerian universities.
The group defended the Council’s decision to conduct the interview process outside Umudike, including in Abuja, noting that such an arrangement is neither new nor unlawful. It recalled that the selection process for the outgoing Vice Chancellor was also conducted in Abuja without controversy or public outcry. The sudden opposition now, it argued, raises questions about underlying motives.
The Initiative alleged that certain interest groups are attempting to influence or frustrate the process for personal or sectional reasons. It warned that no individual or clique should see the university as a private estate. As a federal institution funded by taxpayers across Nigeria, the university belongs to all Nigerians, not to any single community or ethnic bloc.
On the debate about whether the Vice Chancellor must be an indigene of Abia State or Umudike host community, the group firmly rejected such claims. It emphasized that federal universities are national institutions and must reflect the federal character principle. Leadership positions, it stated, are not hereditary or geographically reserved but earned through merit, competence, integrity, and proven administrative ability.
The Initiative further revealed that security agencies, including the Department of State Services, are monitoring developments closely to prevent any breakdown of law and order. It described this as a reassurance to peace-loving citizens rather than a threat, stressing that any attempt to incite unrest or spread misinformation would be resisted in accordance with the law.
Reaffirming the university’s reputation for excellence in agricultural research, innovation, and national development, the group stressed that the next Vice Chancellor must be chosen based on academic credentials, visionary leadership, moral standing, and capacity to unify a diverse academic community.
The Initiative urged the Governing Council to remain steadfast and resist pressure from individuals seeking to manipulate the process. It also called on academic and non-academic staff, students, alumni, political actors, and community leaders to exercise restraint and allow the process to conclude without interference.
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According to the group, allowing merit to prevail will strengthen the university’s credibility, enhance national unity, and protect the integrity of its governance structure. It concluded by appealing for peace on campus and across Abia State, emphasizing that transparency, fairness, and the rule of law must guide the selection of the 7th Vice Chancellor.