The Admiralty University of Nigeria in Delta State has overruled the Federal Government on the appointment of its Vice Chancellor.
An internal memo by the school on February 3, 2025 overruled the Federal Government in the choice of the appointment of a Vice Chancellor.
The memo by the management of ADUN Nigeria, named Professor Christopher Bankole Ndubisi Ogbogbo as the substantive Vice Chancellor, whereas the Federal Government in a statement said Professor Lucian O. Chukwu should be confirmed as the Vice Chancellor.
The statement by the Federal Government through the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, signed by the Director of Press and Public Relations of the Federal Ministry of Education, Folasade Boriowo, on February 28, said Chukwu should be announced as the VC as he performed better than Ogbogbo during their screening.
The statement said: “The Federal Government has approved the appointment of Professor Lucian O. Chukwu as the substantive Vice-Chancellor of Admiralty University, Ibuzor, Delta State.
“The Governing Council of Admiralty University, Ibuzor conducted the selection exercise for the appointment of a substantive Vice-Chancellor on 26th and 27th February, 2025, at the Council Chamber of the University.
“At the end of the exercise, Professor Lucian O. Chukwu emerged as the highest scorer with 83.41% among the five interviewed candidates.
“In line with the principle of merit being upheld by the federal government, the Honourable Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, has approved the appointment of Professor Lucian O. Chukwu as the substantive Vice-Chancellor of Admiralty University, Ibuzor.
“The appointment is for a single tenure of five years with effect from 28th February, 2025.
“The Honourable Minister wishes the new Vice-Chancellor a successful tenure of office.”
But the school stuck by its earlier position, which was contrary to the outcome of the screening of the candidates by KPMG.
In the internal memo on March 3, endorsed by the Director of Establishment, Gideon F. Orhewere, on behalf of the Registrar and Secretary to Council, Commodore Isaac M. Mankilik (retd), said: “The Governing Council, at its 2nd Extra Ordinary meeting held on 26th and 28th February, 2025 considered the report of the Joint Selection Board and appointed Professor Christopher B.N. Ogbogbo as the substantive Vice Chancellor of the University.
“It is to be noted that the appointment of Prof. Dili Ofuokwu as Ag. Vice Chancellor automatically terminates upon the appointment of a substantive Vice Chancellor.
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“Consequent upon the above, the Deputy Vice Chancellor (DVC) is standing-in for the Vice Chancellor pending when the newly appointed Vice Chancellor will assume duty.
“The University Community is to take note of this development while we urge every stakeholder to continue to lend a hand of support to the University Management, most especially at this time of change in leadership.”
The internal memo tallies with the earlier statement on the appointment of Ogbogbo, which necessitated the directive of the Federal Government through Dr. Alausa.
It said: “The Governing Council of Admiralty University of Nigeria (ADUN) today announced the appointment of Professor Bankole Ndubisi Ogbogbo as its substantive Vice-Chancellor.
“The decision was made at its extraordinary meeting held today, 28th February, 2025 in the University.
“Professor Ogbogbo emerged as the successful candidate after a rigorous selection process, receiving 9 out of 15 votes from the Council members.
“He was selected from a shortlist of three highly qualified candidates.”
But as reported earlier by The Eagle Online, the statement did not get the backing of the Chairman of Council, retired Vice Admiral Dele Ezeoba, who was a former Chief of Naval Staff.
This was because while Chukwu came first in the screening conducted by KPMG, Ogbogbo was second.
While Chukwu scored 83.41 percent in the assessment conducted by one of the world’s best audit, tax, and advisory services firm, KPMG, Ogbogbo was second with 72.5 percent.
Professor Ifeoma Irene Ijeoma was third with 69.16 percent.
The process leading to the appointment of the substantive Vice Chancellor started with the statutory advertisement of the position to run for four weeks, which was eventually extended to six weeks based on university regulation.
Specifically, the advertisement started from October 7, 2024 and wound up on November 20, 2024.
At the expiration of the advertisement, ADUN Council at its 9th Regular Meeting held on October 4 and 5, 2024 agreed that to ensure integrity, transparency, and professionalism in the selection process, KPMG should be hired to screen the applications of the 52 candidates that applied.
The applications were moved to KPMG on December 2, 2024.
KPMG completed the task on February 5, 2025 and handed the report to the management through the Registrar on February 6, 2025.
On February 7, 2025, the Senate of the university met to nominate two professors that will be part of the Joint Selection Board.
On February 10, 2025, Council met to nominate two members that will be part of the Joint Selection Board.
Thereafter, the Joint Selection Board was constituted and the report from KPMG was reviewed.
On February 11, 2025, members of the Joint Selection Board were notified of the interview date and appointment letters sent to them as well as invitation letters sent to shortlisted candidates.
On February 24, 2025, the Joint Selection Board met to determine the interview instrument and the first candidate on the order of shortlist based on merit, Chukwu, was interviewed the same day.
On February 25 and 26, 2025, the remaining four candidates were interviewed and they were Professors Sunny E. Iyuke, Ogbogbo, Lawrence Omo-Aghoja, and Ifeoma.
At the end of the interview by the Joint Selection Board, the Council was collapsed to its whole for members to consider the report of the interview.
With Chukwu having been rated the best among the 52 that started the race, the expectation was that he would be declared winner.
That was the position of Admiral Ezeoba, who said he should be declared the vice chancellor-designate.
However, some selected members of the Council resisted, saying they would prefer to go with the candidate that came second, thereby abandoning merit.
As a result of that, the Council meeting reportedly ended in a fiasco because the Ezeoba did not agree with their action.
On February 28, 2025, those opposed to the emergence of Chukwu had a meeting without Ezeoba’s knowledge and declared Ogbogbo, who scored came second as the vice chancellor-designate.
The Registrar then issued a statement to that effect before the Federal Ministry of Education intervened later the same day.
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