Ex-UNIZIK Vice-Chancellor sues FUGUS over alleged fraudulent professorial appointment claims

Professor Benard Odoh, the embattled former 7th Vice-Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, has initiated legal action against the Federal University, Gusau (FUGUS). The lawsuit, filed at the National Industrial Court of Nigeria with suit number NICN/ABJ/434/2024, challenges FUGUS’s alleged denial of his professorial appointment and employment status.

A statement issued by Charles Otu, Professor Odoh’s Personal Assistant on Media and Publicity, confirmed the filing. While the court is yet to schedule a hearing date, the statement emphasized Odoh’s determination to seek justice and clear his name from what he described as “damaging allegations” against his career and reputation.

FUGUS Allegations Against Professor Odoh

The controversy began after the Vice-Chancellor of FUGUS, Professor Muazu Abubakar, held a press conference claiming that:

– Professor Odoh was never employed by FUGUS.

– He was not a tenured professor at the institution.

– Documents supporting Odoh’s professorial claims were allegedly “fraudulently obtained through administrative misconduct,” implicating the Registrar and former Vice-Chancellor of the university.

These statements have sparked widespread media coverage and raised questions about the credibility of the accusations.

Odoh’s Response to Allegations:

Professor Odoh has described the allegations as a deliberate attempt to discredit him professionally and personally. According to the statement by his media aide, these actions are viewed as part of a larger orchestrated effort to damage his academic, social, and political reputation.

Drawing parallels to the controversial media trial of former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen, Odoh’s camp asserts that such public smear campaigns often aim to undermine individuals before the courts deliver their judgments.

The Legal Battle Ahead:

Professor Odoh is resolute in his commitment to seek legal redress. He intends to leave no stone unturned in defending his integrity and addressing what he considers a smear campaign against his unblemished record.

While the case is yet to unfold, it raises critical questions about academic integrity, administrative processes, and the use of media to influence public perception.

Stay tuned for updates as this legal battle progresses.