By Anietie Akpan
The alleged fixing of a 10 year benchmark as a professor by the University of Calabar (UNICAL) Governing Council as a precursor to contest for the position of a Vice Chancellor (VC) is seen as an imposition and illegal.
But the University has said that there is nothing like that for now as the University’s Governing Council has not come out with the guidelines yet.
However,, some Stakeholders are now calling for a return to the status quo—retaining the previous maximum requirement of nine years or below—as the only way to ensure a credible and inclusive process.
They argued that, “anything short of this risks widening the rift between the Council and the University Management, and exposing the institution to avoidable litigation that could paralyze its operations”.
Across Nigeria’s first-generation universities, the average post-professorial benchmark for VC appointments ranges from six to eight years, they said adding that “UNICAL’s imposition of a 10-year cut-off, without a clear justification or precedent, is therefore not only irregular but susceptible to legal challenge”.
Sources indicate an alleged sharp disagreement between the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council, retired DIG Udom Ekpoudom, and the incumbent Vice Chancellor, Professor Florence Obi over the sudden introduction of a new eligibility criterion: a mandatory 10-year post-professorial experience for candidates seeking to become Vice Chancellor.
Other sources within the University reveal that this controversial benchmark was allegedly proposed to eliminate strong contenders perceived as threats to a preferred candidate and this criterion is said not have uniform precedence in UNICAL’s history.
In past appointments, including that of the current Vice Chancellor herself, the requirement ranged between five and nine years of post-professorial experience.
Hence some stakeholders pointed to this inconsistency as “a clear sign that the new 10-year benchmark is arbitrary, discriminatory, and tailored to favor certain individuals while excluding others who are equally or more qualified”.
“It is unfair and legally questionable,” a top official from the Federal Ministry of Education disclosed, adding that the Ministry did not issue or support any such directive.
Sources further said that the federal ministry has confirmed that the Governing Council has the responsibility to recommend good and qualified candidates for them to pick from.
Another source who preferred to remain anonymous pointed out that, “zoning” is yet another hurdle being placed to eliminate credible and well qualified candidates from the race in a federal university and this has sparked deep concern within the University community.
Several members of the Governing Council, caught unawares by the proposed changes, are said to have distanced themselves from it and reported the matter to the Federal Ministry of Education insisting that the proper thing should be done.
On zoning, it is argued that if at all zoning is to be relied on, current VC is from Central Senatorial district who took over from Professor Zana Akpagu from the North Senatorial, so it is fair that the South Senatorial or even a non indigene should take it this time around since it is a federal university.
However, unless the Council acts decisively to maintain the integrity of the selection process, it is alleged that the university may be plunged into legal battles that could stall the appointment indefinitely.
The tenure of Prof. Obi ends in November 2025, with the appointment of a new Vice Chancellor expected to take place in September.
Reacting to the issue of 10 years as a benchmark, the Spokesman of UNICAL, Mr. Eyo Effiong said, “I don’t think the University has spoken yet. It is when it (guidelines) is published then we will know. For now any other thing is just grapevine.
It is when the Council has taken a decision, the Registrar will be asked to publish but for now it is just some people trying to insinuate, Council has not spoken yet. When the publication (the guidelines) is out that is when you will know Council has spoken”.
Reacting to allegations that some aspirants for the Vice Chancellor position are trying to be eliminated by the Council and the University management under the guise of 10 years as one of the prerequisite, Effiong said, “we have not even published so where are they getting all that from?”
He said, “at least when you see the publication that is when we will know but I know we have had issues some years were people came in it was 10 years, one of these years it was below 10 years. I don’t know but I know in part of the few years I have been here,it has always been said that whoever that aspires must have been 10 years as a professor but I am not Council so whatever Council says, Council will roll out the requirement and we will all see it”.