News
UniZik Vice Chancellor Election Causes Controversies And Discrimination
At Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UniZik) in Awka, Anambra State, controversy rises as the election process for a new Vice-Chancellor has become embroiled in accusations of discrimination.
The Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) has taken a stand against the university’s Governing Council, alleging unfair treatment toward its members.
In response to these grievances, MDCAN is seeking legal action from the National Industrial Court, arguing that the selection process for the Vice Chancellor is biased.
MDCAN is pushing for the Vice Chancellor selection to be postponed until the pressing issues at hand are addressed.
Despite these demands, insiders within the University Council indicate that interviews for the Vice Chancellor position are still set to occur this week.
The atmosphere on campus is tense, with stakeholders warning that failure to address the allegations could lead to significant unrest within the university community.
Concerns have been raised regarding the eligibility criteria established by the Governing Council for the Vice Chancellor position.
Many in the university community believe these criteria unfairly discriminate against certain candidates.
In light of this, calls for intervention have reached the highest levels of government, with appeals directed at President Bola Tinubu and the Minister of Education.
The hope is that their involvement can avert a potential industrial crisis that could disrupt university operations and affect students’ education.
The controversy has escalated, particularly following the Pro-Chancellor’s actions since taking office, which have been criticized in connection with the Vice Chancellor selection process.
The university’s Senate recently expressed discontent with the Council’s advertisement for the election, which they believe is flawed.
Their request for the Council to retract this advertisement was reportedly ignored, further fueling discontent among faculty and staff.
At the heart of MDCAN’s complaints is the revised qualification criteria for the Vice Chancellor position, which now mandates that candidates possess a doctorate.
This new requirement has effectively disqualified many qualified members of MDCAN who possess significant administrative experience within the university.
Dr. Victor Modekwe, the Chairman of MDCAN’s NAUTH Nnewi Chapter, emphasized that previous advertisements allowed for equivalent qualifications alongside relevant experience, making the current standards seem unjust and exclusionary.
Adding to the controversy, the Council is accused of securing a consent judgment from the National Industrial Court in Awka on October 19, which may clear the way for the election to continue, despite the ongoing disputes.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has paid tribute to late Nigerian actor Olu Jacobs, recalling his contributions to the creative industry and his impact on Nigeria’s cultural identity.
In his tribute, Tinubu described Jacobs as a giant of the Nigerian creative industry and said “He was a giant of the Nigerian creative industry. His passing is a great loss to Nigeria, the African film industry and the global community of lovers of the performing arts. His remarkable body of work will continue to speak to generations yet unborn.
“The nation recognises the enormous contributions of Nigeria’s creative practitioners to the country’s cultural identity, global image and economic development. Olu Jacobs played a big role in creating this identity.”
Human rights lawyer and activist Deji Adeyanju has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to declare a state of emergency over the proliferation of counterfeit and substandard drugs and consumer products in Nigeria.
Adeyanju also called for the removal of the Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, as well as the heads of other regulatory agencies, including the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON).
“Nigerians are being exposed to dangerous products daily, from fake and substandard medicines to unsafe consumer goods, with reports of drugs being sold wholesale in the open under the hot sun. No responsible government should expose its citizens to such risks and expect mortality rates not to rise.”
Adeyanju also called out NAFDAC over what he described as failures in regulating the circulation of counterfeit and substandard products in the country.
It can be noted that various counterfeit products continue to circulate in Nigerian markets, while NAFDAC has also reported seizures and destruction of counterfeit, expired and substandard products.
Lagosians have lamented heavy traffic caused by ongoing construction work at Kara Bridge along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
The Federal Government announced that repairs on the damaged expansion joints at Kara Bridge would begin on September 8, 2026. The project, initially scheduled to begin in August, was delayed to allow further traffic management planning due to concerns over its impact on motorists.
Since work began, traffic around the Kara area has become heavy, with Lagosians sharing updates on social media about spending two hours or more on the road.
Some commuters say the delays have made their 9-to-5 routines difficult, with several hours spent travelling to and from work.
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