Sacked UNIZIK VC Prof. Odoh sues education minister over removal

From Godwin Tsa, Abuja

The sacked Vice Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, Prof. Bernard Odoh, has sued the Minister of Education, Morufu Alausa, before the Abuja division of the Federal High Court over the legality of his removal from office.

In the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/82/2025 and dated January 20, 2025, the plaintiff seeks an order stopping the defendants from taking any further steps to reconstitute the Council or Governing Council of the University, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice filed alongside the application.

He listed the Minister of Education, Federal Ministry of Education, and Prof. Joseph Ifeanyichukwu Ikechebelu as the 1st to 3rd defendants, respectively.

President Bola Tinubu, on November 20, 2024, announced the dissolution of the Governing Council of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State.

President Tinubu had removed the newly appointed Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Bernard Odoh, and Registrar, Mrs. Rosemary Nwokike.

However, Odoh, a former Secretary to the State Government of Ebonyi State, is challenging the legality of his removal in the suit filed by his lawyer, Prof. Chimezie Kingsley Okorie (SAN).

In an ex parte application filed at the Federal High Court Abuja, alongside a motion on notice, Odoh also joined the acting Vice Chancellor, Prof. Joseph Ifeanyichukwu Ikechebelu, in seeking an order of court restraining him from further acting or parading himself as the Acting Vice-Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.

The motion ex parte was brought pursuant to Section 6(6) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), Order 26 Rules 1 and 2, Order 28 Rule 2 of the Federal High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules 2019, and under the inherent jurisdiction of the honourable court.

Among the several reliefs sought by the plaintiff/applicant are:

• An order of interim injunction restraining the 1st and 2nd defendants, either by themselves or through their agents, staff, or workmen or employees under them, or whosoever, from taking any further step to reconstitute the Council or Governing Council of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice filed alongside the application.
• An order of interim injunction restraining the 3rd defendant from further acting or parading himself as the Acting Vice-Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice filed alongside the application.
• An order of interim injunction restraining the defendants, either by themselves or through their agents, staff, or workmen or employees under them, or whosoever, from further doing anything or taking any step concerning the office or appointment of the Vice-Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice filed alongside the application.
• An order of interim injunction restraining the defendants, either by themselves or through their agents, staff, or workmen or employees under them, or whosoever, from further doing anything or taking any step concerning the Council or Governing Council of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice filed alongside the application.

The application is predicated on five grounds:

• That the rule of law demands that once a matter is before a court of law, parties are required not to do anything with the subject matter of the action until a final judgment is delivered.
• That the 1st and 2nd defendants have a habit of not respecting court processes.
• That there is real urgency as the defendants are about to destroy the subject matter of the action.
• That justice of the matter demands that sanity be maintained before the parties resort to self-help.
• That the rules of the honourable court vested the plaintiff/applicant with the right to bring the application.