MOUAU don petitions Tinubu over denial of promotion to professor by Eden, Governing Council Chairman
By: Mandy Park
Erudite lecturer at Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike ( MOUAU) Dr Philips Nto has petitioned President Bola Tinubu to intervene over the denial of his promotion to the rank of a professor by the Chairman of the Governing Council of the University, Comrade Fidelis Edeh.
He said his promotion, which has been due since 2021, has been withheld by Edeh over issues associated with the 2023 governorship election in Enugu State.
According to Dr. Philips Nto, during a press briefing in Umuahia, he was being victimised by Edeh because he refused to rig elections in favour of Edeh’s candidate during the election.
He lamented that since Edeh was appointed the Chairman of MOUAU Governing Council, he has exploited his position to” victimise, persecute and frustrate me.”
” The council under Edeh has sat for more than 10 times, in the last two years, and each time the matter of my promotion comes up , he will step it down under one flimsy excuse or the other ‘, he said.
He disclosed that within the same period, Edeh has approved the professorial promotion of many people, especially those from his home state of Enugu, ” with the speed of light ”
He said in line with the universities’ best practices pertaining to the promotion of academic staff, that his papers have been assessed through four layers and found him to be appointable as a professor.
Said he ” I have gone through the department, the college, the UAC and other stages and they all approved my papers, but Edeh has refused to approve the promotion because I refused to rig election for his candidate” he submitted
Dr Nto, who is a former Commissioner for Finance and Economic Planning in Abia state, and former Provost of Abia State College of Education, Technical, Arochukwu, expressed frustration over the matter because his mates and even junior ones have since been promoted to the rank of a professor.
He disclosed that he was forced to seek the help of President Tinubu when after the last sitting of the Council, Edeh blatantly refused to take the legal advice from the University’s lawyer who submitted that there was no legal impediment to deny him his promotion.
He therefore appealed to the president to intervene and direct Edeh to release his promotion to the rank of a professor from 2021.
