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Revealed! Vice Chancellorship: Uproar, as Uniuyo VC sets trap for aspirants

Revealed! Vice Chancellorship: Uproar, as Uniuyo VC sets trap for aspirants

By Our Correspondent

The Vice Chancellor of the University of Uyo, Professor Nyaudoh Ndaeyo, has reportedly laid what sources describe as a strategic “trap” designed to disqualify perceived opponents from vying for the university’s top office, ahead of the conclusion of his tenure.

The controversial development follows the public advertisement for the position of Vice Chancellor, which appeared in national dailies on May 29. According to insiders familiar with the unfolding drama, the eligibility criteria listed in the advertisement contain what one source described as “strange clauses,” allegedly inserted to tactically weed out certain contenders.

The advertisement, which calls for applications from qualified candidates, stipulates that prospective vice chancellor must have twenty years of unbroken teaching experience and must present ten published academic works within the last two years. These stringent conditions, which are widely viewed as excessive and irregular, have triggered backlash from academic stakeholders across the country.

A professor from the University of Calabar, alongside a retired university administrator, recently issued scathing criticism of the Uniuyo VC over the allegedly exclusionary requirements. In their separate reactions, both described the clauses as an abuse of the recruitment process and an affront to established academic norms.

Behind the scenes, however, the controversy appears to be part of a deeper political chess game. Sources close to the Vice Chancellor and his alleged preferred successor claim the plot is more calculated than it appears on the surface. According to these insiders, the VC and his loyalists are quietly hoping that targeted aspirants—many of whom reportedly do not meet the advertised criteria—will still go ahead and submit applications. Doing so, they argue, would amount to an implicit acceptance of the stated conditions, giving the selection committee legal and procedural grounds to disqualify them.

“The game plan is simple: let them apply, then use the same rules to eliminate them,” a senior academic who spoke under strict anonymity told our correspondent. “This is not just about eligibility—it’s about setting a legal and moral trap.”

In response, there is reportedly growing agitation within the University of Uyo’s academic staff union and among concerned faculty members who see the developments as a threat to transparency and institutional integrity. Some are said to be weighing legal and administrative actions to challenge what they term “obnoxious and manipulative clauses” embedded in the VC succession process.

Observers note that this is not the first time succession politics in Nigerian universities has been marred by behind-the-scenes maneuvering and procedural ambush. However, the current situation at Uniuyo has drawn particular attention due to its alleged brazenness and the apparent personalization of institutional guidelines.

For now, all eyes are on the University of Uyo Governing Council, which is expected to oversee the appointment process. Whether the council will intervene to review or uphold the controversial criteria remains to be seen.

As the June deadline for application submission draws near, the academic atmosphere at Uniuyo remains tense, with many wondering whether merit or manipulation will ultimately prevail.

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