Members of the governing council of the David Umahi Federal University Health Sciences(DUFUHS) Ebonyi State, have dismissed their hijack in the running of the institution.
The members who held a meeting in the university, were reacting to an online media outlet that the founder of the university and Minister of Works, Sen. David Umahi has hijacked them and now running the university like personal enterprise.
Addressing journalists at the university premises on Wednesday during the meeting, pro-chancellor and chairman, governing council of the university, Dr. Adebayo Shittu, said he was surprised some when he got a call from a supposed journalist in USA telling him that he learned he has been sidelined purportedly by the current Minister of Works, Sen. David Umahi
He described the online media report as handiwork of criminals who are frustrated and want to destabilize the fastest growing university.
He declared that no one can hijack or sideline him in the university as an experienced politician who has been in politics since 47 years.
“I was surprised two days ago when I got a call from a supposed journalist from the USA giving me information that they learned that I have been sidelined purportedly by the current Minister of Works. And I told the journalist, he wanted information. Apparently, he was looking for negative information from me.
“I told them that I have no complaint against anybody. And that nobody has sidelined me and nobody could have sidelined me as an experienced politician. I have been in politics for 47 years
“So it’s not possible for anybody to sideline me. And I don’t have any complaint. We work as brothers and sisters here
“So any information you get that is negative, you know that it is a hatchet job by criminals who are frustrated, who have objectives which are not noble, and who want to destabilize the university.
“On behalf of the Governing Council, I can assure you that we don’t have any problem. We are happy, we are satisfied.
“Everything is going on fine. And it is our objective that we will continue to pursue the best interest of the university for the benefit of the entire country. We are welcoming students from all parts of this country because this is a federal university”, he said.
Shittu, a former Minister of Communication opined that the governing council of the university and the school management have fantastic synergy and dismissed instability in the institution.
“We do not have any problem of instability. The Governing Council made up of distinguished Nigerians from all over the country are here with us. We have very fantastic synergy between the Governing Council and the management of the university”, he stated.
A member of the governing council, Saliu Aluko described the online media report as very malicious, slanderous and unreasonable for saying that the members of the governing council are being cowed.
“We are citizens politicians and we know our rights. Our council meeting has been very tough. It’s only you will not be allowed to.
“We cross all the T’s and dot all the I’s. Nobody has been doctoring us. We cannot be doctored.
“The man they are talking about (Sen. David Umahi), we have not even met him. We are not communicating with him. He’s not intervening in our business here.
“So it is malicious to assert that the council has been hijacked. If it’s been hijacked, we wouldn’t be here today. We are not here because of this press conference.
“We are doing our own, our duty as a council. But it limits when it’s going to arrest us. So it is not true.
“It is not true, it is false that the council has been hijacked and we are not allowed to do our duty. We have been very active in our function”, he stated.
A representative of the federal ministry of education, Paul Ope, described the online report as unfounded.
Oh his part part, Vice Chancellor of the university, Professor Jesse Uneke said the governing council is supervising the institution contrary to the report.
“If you look at the infrastructures here, you know that the council is supervising these structures very, very well.
“All the constructions going on in this university, the council oversees how they are being built and managed. And you know that it’s clear evidence that the council is really working.
“The university is very stable. We don’t have any issues academically, administratively. And that also attests to the fact that the council is doing its work very, very well”, Uneke said.