Ahead of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike (MOUAU) 57th inaugural lecture, schedule to hold on December 11, 2024, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), MOUAU chapter, Abia State, has called for its cancellation, alleging that the proposed inaugural lecturer, was fraudulently promoted to the rank of a professor.

In a Press Release jointly signed by the ASUU MOUAU chairperson, Comrade Michael Ugwuene and Comrade Charles E. Osodeke and made available to newsmen, they urged the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Maduebibisi Ofo Iwe to refrain from promoting illegality that would that would take the institution to the era of impunity.

They described the purported promotion of Echebiri to the rank of professor as completely fraudulent, fraught with unilateral breaches.

ASUU further alleged that the former Vice Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Hillary Odo Edeoga, unilaterally promoted Dr. Echebiri to the rank of professor without any assessment in both his Department; Agricultural Economics and College of Agricultural Economics Rural Sociology and Extension (CAERSE), a development which they regarded as an inappropriate promotion or placement.

ASUU maintained that Echebiri’s purported promotion to the rank of professor is still in contention and the petition of ASUU MOUAU to the Visitation Panel to the University against his purported promotion has been captured in the white paper for MOUAU as not following due process.

The release further reads: “In the light of the foregoing, the promotion of Dr. Raphael N. Echebiri to the rank of professor is completely fraudulent, fraught with unilateral breaches of the conditions of service for Senior Staff, MOUAU, hence, the protest by ASUU MOUAU which has been gazetted by the Visitor in the White Paper (2011 – 2015) of the university B 52, S/No 11.2 written thus under observations/findings – Cases of wrongful recruitment, inappropriate promotion or placements.
“The unconditional recall of Dr. Raphael N. Echebiri who was on suspension and the breach of due process in the promotion of Dr. Echebiri to the rank of professor.”

They urged the Visitor to the University and President Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Minister of Education and the general public to intervene to avoid a desecration of the university Laws and traditions.

Meanwhile the Public Relations Officer (PRO), MOUAU, Ubadire Agua, dismissed ASUU’s claims, stating that the university’s Senate, had approved Echebiri as the inaugural lecturer.

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