The National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) has been asked to perpetually restrain Prof. Carol Umobi or any other person from parading themselves as the Vice Chancellor of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State.
In an originating summons marked: NICN/ABJ/383/2024, the claimants, the Incorporated Trustees of Medical and Dental Consultants Association of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH) and Dr. Victor Modekwe are further urging the court to stop the University, the National University Commission (NUC) and the Federal Ministry of Education from recognizing Prof. Umobi or any other person appointed as the validly elected Vice Chancellor of the university.
Consequently, the claimants had in a letter by their counsel, J.I Ekeoma, dated October 25, 2024, drew the attention of the acting Vice Chancellor and the University authority of the pendency of the suit and the urgent need to maintain status quo on the issue.
In the letter which chronicled the events that gave rise to the suit, the claimants accused the university of taking discriminatory steps against the 2nd Claimant, Dr. Victor Modekwe and other people in the medical and dental fields in the process of appointing a new vice Chancellor of the institution.
Other defendants listed in the suit are the Council, Nnamdi Azikiwe University; Prof. Carol Umobi and the acting Registrar, Mr. Victor Modebelu respectively.
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It is the case of the claimants that on September 12, 2024, the Council on behalf of the university caused a publication to be made by a newspaper company and same was published on page 33 of the newspaper.
That the said publication outlined a requirement that sought to disenfranchise and exclude the members from faculties of Medicine and Basic Clinical Sciences in the process of applying for the vacant position of the Vice Chancellor of the university.
That the Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria wrote several letters to all the relevant authorities including but not limited to the offices of the acting Vice Chancellor, the registrar, the chairman of the Council, expressing their dissatisfaction and displeasure in the whole process and particularly the newspaper publication of September 12, 2024, which was discriminatory to holders of the Medical and Dental Fellowship qualification.
The lawyer in the letter stated that “instead of undoing the wrong it did to our client, the university informed the Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria to reach out to the National University Commission for clarification as to whether the Fellowship is to be considered as an equivalent to Ph.D for the purpose of appointment as the substantive vice Chancellor of the university.
“That at 27th meeting of the Senate of the University on 16, 2024, resolutions were passed, and condemning the newspaper publication of September 12, 2024, and for ‘Ph.D’ or it’s equivalent to be included in a fresh publication.
“Despite the several demands made by our clients, the University is still taking steps to appoint a new Vice Chancellor based on the discriminatory advert publication.
It is therefore the position of the claimants that in view of the pendency of the suit, the University is legally bound to stay all actions on the issue pending the hearing and determination of the suit or parties come to an amicable settlement of issues raised and canvassed”.
The claimants said they would not hesitate to commence contempt proceedings against the University if it goes ahead to disregard the letter.
Meanwhile, the claimants in their suit, want the National Industrial Court to declare that the Medical Fellowship, being the peak of a medical career is equivalent to the academic title of a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D) for the purposes of the advertisement made by the 1s defendant.
They equally urged the court to make a declaration that the 2nd claimant (Dr.Victor Modekwe) being the holder of the Medical Fellowship is qualified to contest in the ongoing process to appoint the Vice Chancellor of the 1st defendant and an attempt to exclude the 2nd claimant from participating in the process is illegal, unconstitutional, null, void and of no effect whatsoever.
A declaration that the newspaper publication of September 12, 2024, is a deviation from the publication used in the selection of the Vice Chancellor of the 1st defendant in 2019.
A declaration that any appointment of the Vice Chancellor of the 1st defendant based on the newspaper publication of September 12, 2024, is illegal unconstitutional, null, and void and of no effect whatsoever.
While urging the court for an order setting aside the newspaper publication of September 12, 2024 as an illegality, the claimants said it was discriminatory and brought in bad faith against the 2nd claimant and members of the Medical and Dental Consultants Association of the University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH).
NIGERIAN TRIBUNE