Tinubu sacks UNIZIK’s VC, registrar, dissolves varsity council

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has dissolved the Governing Council of Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, Anambra State, and dismissed key officials, including Prof. Bernard Ifeanyi Odoh, the Vice Chancellor, and Rosemary Ifoema Nwokike, the Registrar.

The decision was announced by the Special Adviser to the President on Information & Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, in a statement released on Wednesday.

The dissolution follows reports of the council’s illegal appointment of an unqualified vice-chancellor, bypassing proper procedures and regulatory guidelines.

The council, led by Ambassador Greg Ozumba Mbadiwe, and comprising five other members, has now been dismissed for failing to adhere to the necessary process in key academic appointments.

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In a related move, President Tinubu also approved the removal of Engr. Ohieku Muhammed Salami as the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of the Federal University of Health Sciences in Otukpo, Benue State.

Salami’s dismissal followed his illegal suspension of the university’s Vice Chancellor without proper due process. Despite calls from the Federal Ministry of Education to reverse the unlawful suspension, Salami ignored the directive and engaged in hostile and threatening conduct towards ministry officials, including the Permanent Secretary.

The President has emphasised that these actions undermine the integrity and operation of Nigeria’s higher education system and cautioned other university councils against such distractions.

He emphasised that his government is fully committed to improving the standards of education in the country and expects those in leadership positions to uphold the highest levels of professionalism and accountability.

This development is part of President Tinubu’s broader agenda to reform Nigeria’s education sector, ensuring that institutions operate with integrity and contribute positively to the nation’s development goals.