Kogi: Audu Abubakar Varsity’s VC alleges plot by some Alumnus to incite crises

By Richard Elesho

The Vice Chancellor of Prince Abubakar Audu University, PAU, Ayingba in Kogi state, Prof. Mariatu Ohunene Tenuche, has raised the alarm over activities of some members of the institution’s Alumni Association, capable of inciting crisis that will rock the institution to its foundation.

Addressing a press conference recently at the main Campus of the University, the Vice Chancellor lamented that contrary to the purpose of Alumni Associations the world over, which include contributions towards the development of their Alma mater, the reverse is the case at the Prince Abubakar Audu University.

Prof. Tenuche disclosed that the Management of the University had, for many years, been dealing with a few individuals, who, rather than seek to pursue the ideals of an Alumni Association, resorted to devising ways of milking the University dry, at all cost.

The VC who was reacting to myriads of allegations levelled against her on social media, denied all the claims, describing them as deliberately organized to mislead the public with a view to cause grave disaffection to her person.

She disclosed that the Suit No.: AYHC/03/2023 pending before the Kogi State High Court, sitting in Anyigba, has no link whatsoever, with an allegation of fraud against the office and person of the Vice Chancellor of the University.

She said rather the suit is a legal tussle between the factions claiming legitimacy of the Alumni Association of the University.

”It is no longer news that the Alumni Association of Kogi State University has been enmeshed in leadership crises for years now, with two factions, all laying claim to legitimacy as National Executives of the Association.

“The crises have crystalized into legal action and counter legal actions in court. While the various actions are still pending, one of the factions, championed by two individuals, in particular, approached the University on several occasions, demanding funds and that they should be invited to attend Meetings of the Governing Council of the University.

“They claimed to be the legally elected national executives of the University Alumni Association, since an Upper Area Court, sitting in Lokoja had granted an interlocutory injunction restraining the other faction from parading as the legally elected Executives of the Alumni Association, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.

“After studying the contents of the Interlocutory Injunction, it was discovered that it is entirely different from the claim of that faction, the University would rather not invite any of the factions until the matter pending in court over legitimacy of each faction’s claim to the national leadership of the association is resolved”, Prof Tenuche further disclosed.

Angered by the decision of the University not to give recognition to their faction, the arrow-heads of that faction filed an action against the University and made the Vice Chancellor a co- defendant.

Their claim in the case among others, is that the University be mandated to include their acclaimed National President to attend Governing Council Meetings and demanded that previous Council Meetings held to their exclusion and the decisions taken be nullified.

They also asked the court to mandate the University to give account of what they term Alumni Association finances.

“The duo claiming to be representing the Alumni Association demanded for funds they insisted belonged to the Association and subsequently dragged the past administration of the University to court before now.

“Not done, the imposters further demanded that the University pay their legal fee to their lawyers for the bills the Association incurred by taking the previous University administration to Court.

“On this, they have caused accounts of the University to be garnished to the tune of N25,000,000.00 (Twenty Five Million Naira), by an order of the Kogi State High Court, sitting in Idah, which also mandated the University to return their original certificate of incorporation, which they claimed is in the custody of the University.

In response to the demands, the University released the sum of N17,000,000.00 (Seventeen Million Naira) to the Alumni Association and thereafter, Management closed the University Development Account formerly known as Alumni Account and stopped collection of University Development Levies from graduating students.

“While the present University Management never collected any Development Levy or Alumni fees from graduating students, the University vehemently objected to the second demand to pay their lawyer and has filed an appeal against the subsequent garnishee order of High Court, Idah, at the Court of Appeal, Abuja.

“On their demand for inclusion as members of the University Governing Council, the University has directed that the Management should commence the process for the review of several anomalies observed in the 2018 University Law, in line with the report of the last visitation panel and other global universities best practices.

The Vice Chancellor also said individuals who are bent on bringing their alma mater and her leadership to disrepute, to satisfy their personal aggrandizement, under the guise of “pursing the interest of the alumni association”, were the sponsors of series of media attacks on the University.