Metro

Crisis Brews In UNN As Court Restrains Varsity From Conducting Convocation Election

Published

10 months ago

December 1, 2024

Editor

A Federal High Court sitting in Enugu State on Thursday, restrained the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, UNN, from conducting a convocation election until the determination of a suit brought before it by some aspirants in the election following an alleged breach of the Standing Orders of Proceedings of the Convocation election by the Acting Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Polycarp Chigbu.

The plaintiffs in a suit number FHC/E/CS/217/2024, stated that Professor Chigbu breached sections 20 and 22 of the Standing Orders of the Convocation as he allegedly changed some procedures of the election without a properly constituted convocation meeting.

A source who pleaded for anonymity said “On the 7th of November, 2024 and as required by law, the University of Nigeria published the procedures for a convocation meeting where the convocation representatives in the University of Nigeria Governing Council will be elected. However, while the Registrar of the University was away on an official duty, the Ag. Vice Chancellor, in what many members of the University described as an “act of rascality and a gestapo style of impunity,” truncated the process by unilaterally publishing a completely set of different procedures on 21st November, 2024 without reference to subsisting publication of 7th November and the Standing Order of Proceedings of the convocation, an action many perceive as geared towards favouring his close associate.”

It was gathered that the standing orders of the convocation restrains anyone, including the Vice Chancellor from changing any part of its proceedings without a properly constituted convocation meeting. Part of the orders reads “the standing orders may be amended by notice of a motion in writing. Such motion shall be carried by two-thirds members of convocation present and voting.”

Another source in the University also said “Considering all these observed anomalies, the aspirants approached the Court. During the Court proceedings on Thursday 28 November, 2024, evidence of services of the court processes on the defendants’, which included the University of Nigeria, Ag. Vice-Chancellor Prof. Polycarp Emeka Chigbu, and the Convocation, were presented to the Court. After listening to the presentations, the Judge adjourned the matter, but emphatically said that the University of Nigeria, as federal institution, should be aware that proceeding further with any of the process that is being challenged in court, having being duly served, is not acceptable in law. The Judge’s position is completely in line with the well established tradition in law, which requires all parties to stay action on matters pending before a court of competent jurisdiction. However, the current Ag. Vice Chancellor has little regard for the rule of law.”

One of the plaintiffs who spoke to Vanguard on condition of anonymity called on the Pro-Chancellor of the University, General Ike Nwachukwu (Rtd), not to allow his reputation to be soiled by the Acting Vice Chancellor.

He equally urged General Nwachukwu to save the University from the brewing crisis by ensuring that the proceedings of the convocation election follow due process in accordance with the law and the standing orders of the convocation of the University.

He stated that the Acting Vice Chancellor’s consultation of stakeholders in the University to change the standing orders of convocation is “fraudulent tactics” as stakeholders are not an organ of the University.

“Members of the Senate are members of the convocation and the Vice Chancellor never mentioned such matter in any of the Senate meeting. Which stakeholder is bigger than the Senate of the University and the Convocation itself”?

Sources who spoke to our reporter agreed that there may be a need to reform the convocation election, but that such reform should be done in accordance with the laws and standing orders of the University.

They stated that the way and manner the Ag. Vice Chancellor is pursuing the current election raises a lot of suspicion and points to an ulterior motives.

Inquires made by our correspondent about the company, ARROW FAST LIMITED Rg No. 1408710, which has been hired to undertake the online registration and conduct the online voting raises even more questions about the integrity and fairness of the entire process. It was gathered that the company has never undertaking any of such projects before.

The Counsel to the Plaintiffs, Barrister C. D Eze, told our reporter that whatever UNN does with regards to the election is subject to the decision of the court since it has been served.

“After moving our application in the court, the judge asked whether we have served UNN. When we answered in the affirmative, the judge said that whatever UNN does with the election is subject to the decision of the court since the institution is aware of the case.

“We didn’t get injunction because UNN was not in court that day,” he said.

When contacted, the UNN’s Legal Adviser, Barr. M.A Obayi, declined to comment on the matter.

It was gathered that January 15, 2025 has been fixed for the hearing of the case.

Metro

Lagos NURTW Boss Reacts To Alleged Threat To Voters As DSS Grilled Him Over Viral Video

Published

5 hours ago

October 3, 2025

Editor

The Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, in Lagos, Mustapha Sego, has confirmed that he was invited by the Department of State Services, DSS, over allegations of incitement following a viral video in which he made controversial remarks about the 2027 elections.

In the video, Sego, while addressing union members, had warned that “what happened in 2023 will not be allowed to repeat itself in 2027,” adding in Yoruba that “anybody who makes any mistakes in 2027 will be dealt with” and that the All Progressives Congress, APC, was the party voters must support.

His comments sparked public outrage, with many interpreting them as threats aimed at voters ahead of the next general election.

However, in a follow-up disclaimer video, the NURTW boss denied threatening voters, insisting that his remarks were misrepresented and taken out of context.

He confirmed that the DSS invited him earlier in the day to clarify the allegations, which he described as “false and baseless.”

“I have always been a man of peace, and my messages are directed only to our members. Everyone has the right to associate freely and choose their affiliations, and I fully respect that,” he said.

Sego alleged that the controversy was being fueled by rival groups seeking to destabilize his leadership in the state.

“There is always an enemy in every job, and we know where this is coming from. This is clearly an attempt to destabilize me and the NURTW in Lagos State,” he stated.

Metro

Lagos Man Shot Dead After Fight In Nightclub

Published

1 day ago

October 2, 2025

Editor

There was panic on Friday after a man, identified simply as Alex, was shot by suspected gunmen at Iyana Isashi in the Ojo Local Government Area of Lagos State.

It was learnt that the incident occurred at about 8 pm.

A resident in the community who requested not to be mentioned due to the nature of the incident had told The PUNCH that the deceased was on his way to meet a friend when two men on a bike accosted him.

One of them was, however, said to have pulled out a gun in the process and shot him at close range.

The source said, “Alex stays at Cele Niza here in Iyana Isashi. He had just come back from his place of work when he stepped out again, probably to meet a friend. He was on his way when some men on a bike stopped him on the way and shot him. It was the sound of the gunshot that attracted people around, who rushed to the spot and found him lying in a pool of blood. The gunmen were also seen trying to escape from the area while still on the bike.”

According to the source, Alex was immediately rushed to the hospital, where he was being attended to.

Giving an update on the incident on Wednesday, the source confirmed to that the victim succumbed to the gunshot injuries earlier in the day.

“We lost him this morning. He had been in a coma since that Friday, and doctors tried all they could to save him, but he did not make it,” the source disclosed.

Metro

Gunmen Invade Ex-Ogun LG Chairman’s Residence

Published

1 day ago

October 2, 2025

Editor

An armed gang on Thursday morning invaded the residence of former Ijebu-Ode Local Government Chairman, Alhaji Emilola Gazal, carting away valuables, cash, and his vehicle.

Gazal, who is also the publisher of The Roots Magazine, confirmed the incident in a telephone interview.

“The three armed men broke into my residence at Ijebu-Ode GRA at about 2 a.m. They collected all the cash with me after which they forced me to open my bank apps on my phone and transfer everything there to an account they provided. They left only N5,000 in my account.

“They also made away with my wife’s trinkets and with my ash-colour car. They actually told me they would be going away with my car. I am just going to report the incident to the police at Igbeba and Obalende, Ijebu-Ode”, Gazal told our correspondent.

According to The PUNCH, that this incident comes amid a spate of violent robberies and home invasions reported across Ogun State, particularly in the Ijebu area.

For example, earlier this year, the Ogun State Police Command killed a suspected armed robber in a gun duel along the Sagamu–Ijebu Ode Expressway.

The command, on September 12, 2025, also recently arrested a man linked to a burglary and armed robbery in Ayetoro, amounting to about N1.5 million in stolen goods.

Meanwhile, the regional security network, Amotekun Corps, has in past operations engaged criminal gangs in shootouts, neutralising suspects in Ogun’s border zones.

Details later…