AWKA/Nigeria: Concerned members of the Senate at Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU) have called on Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, to immediately end the tenure of the institution’s Acting Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Kate Omenugha, citing breach of statutory limits and abuse of office.
The university dons, in a letter titled “Appeal for Restoration of Sanity in COOU”, alleged that Prof. Omenugha, who has served in acting capacity since December 5, 2023, has overstayed the legal timeframe for an acting VC and should be removed due to her active interest in the substantive position.
They claimed that her continued stay in office has compromised the integrity of the selection process and violated university procedures. “A candidate for the Vice-Chancellorship should not remain as Acting VC,” they argued, insisting that the office has been misused to tilt the process in her favour.
According to them, a December 2024 Senate meeting chaired by Omenugha was allegedly manipulated to influence the VC selection process, including the handpicking of a loyalist as the Senate’s nominee to the Search Committee, in violation of due process.
They appealed to Governor Soludo to appoint a neutral professor from the Senate one ineligible to contest, as Acting VC, saying such a move is vital to restore fairness, credibility, and due process in the ongoing selection exercise.
