…as tension, outrage continue over attempted succession scheme
The outgoing Vice Chancellor of the University of Uyo, Prof. Nyaudoh Ndaeyo, is currently in Abuja on a frantic lobbying mission, allegedly to compel federal authorities to back his handpicked successor—a controversial figure widely rejected by the academic community. Multiple sources within the university have described the move as a last-ditch effort to entrench himself in power by proxy as his tenure draws to a close on November 30, 2025.
Prof. Ndaeyo’s actions have triggered anger and deep concern within the institution, with many accusing him of prioritizing personal interest over the university’s future. His preferred candidate, according to numerous credible accounts, is a man whose academic career is stained by a plagiarism scandal that rocked the university more than a decade ago. Despite widespread condemnation from academics across Nigeria, Prof. Ndaeyo is reportedly determined to impose him at all costs.
“This is not leadership. It is a disgrace,” said a senior lecturer in the Faculty of Arts. “We have a Vice Chancellor who is running from office to office in Abuja—not to secure funding or improve our research profile—but to beg politicians to help him force a tainted candidate on the university. It is shameful.”
Sources in Abuja confirmed that Prof. Ndaeyo is seeking meetings with the Minister of Education, the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), and the Senate President—whom he has allegedly accused in private of favoring a rival academic outside his faction. One insider familiar with his lobbying efforts said, “He’s desperate. He knows his time is up, and he wants to leave behind a puppet who will cover his tracks and protect his interests.”
The mood on campus is tense, with several professors warning that Prof. Ndaeyo’s interference could destabilize the university’s already fragile administrative structure. A professor in Faculty of Education called the move “an insult to the principles of merit, transparency, and academic decency,” adding, “The university community will resist this imposition with everything we have. We cannot allow a disgraced scholar to be rewarded with our highest office just because he serves one man’s ambition.”
Staff and students alike have expressed outrage over what they see as the Vice Chancellor’s obsession with controlling the succession process. “Instead of focusing on a smooth, credible transition, he’s acting like a godfather trying to plant a stooge,” said a postgraduate student who attended a recent faculty meeting where the issue was discussed. “It’s a dangerous and destabilizing agenda.”
While the university administration has remained silent on the issue, internal documents and sources suggest that Prof. Ndaeyo has been quietly mobilizing loyalists within the system, offering promises of positions and protection in exchange for support.
The man at the center of the controversy—reportedly set to be announced as a candidate in the coming weeks—has yet to address the allegations surrounding the plagiarism case that nearly derailed his academic career. “The panel findings are still in the archives,” said a retired professor. “We all remember. It wasn’t swept under the carpet. It was merely ignored because he had godfathers then—and he’s relying on them again now.”
There are growing calls from faculty members and alumni for the federal government to closely monitor the succession process and prevent any attempt at political hijack. “If Abuja allows this travesty to stand,” said a former dean, “they will be complicit in the collapse of one of Nigeria’s respected federal universities.”
At the time of filing this report, all efforts to reach the Vice Chancellor or his office for comments were rebuffed.
As the November deadline approaches, what should be a routine transition process is fast descending into a high-stakes power struggle—one that may determine not only the next Vice Chancellor but the integrity of the University of Uyo itself.
