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• New Unizik VC, Prof. Bernard Odoh
The All Progressives Grand Alliance has called on those complaining about the emergence of Prof. Bernard Odoh as the new Vice-Chancellor of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Akwa, to give the erudite professor a chance to prove his mettle.
This was as the party said it was worrisome that a few disgruntled stakeholders were kicking against the emergence of Odoh as VC at this material time, saying that he was the best thing that could ever happen to the institution.
APGA National Youth Leader, Comrade Eze Chukwu, stated this while addressing journalists, on Monday, in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital.
He noted the new VC was morally sound, academically resourceful and integrity-driven, adding that all he needed was the support of critical stakeholders to turn the institution around.
He said, “When I read some articles by those contesting the emergence of Professor Bernard Ifeanyi Odoh, I laugh because it’s typical of Nigerians not to see and believe when best emerges in peace. I said to myself, I wish these people knew who Professor Odoh is, they would be thanking God for his emergence as the VC of Unizik. Sadly in Nigeria, whenever a solution emerges, problems arise to stop it.
The Odoh that I know is a solution that should be begged and supported to come and revamp Unizik.
“Odoh is morally upright. Recall that Professor Odoh was the governorship candidate of APGA in the 2023 general election in Ebonyi State. He met the most dangerous and fiercest opposition in his campaigns, yet refused to join them in carrying arms. He was attacked and shot at up to 9 times to the extent that he lost his driver and many of his cars burnt.
“I was deeply in his campaign as the campaign’s Director of Voter Mobilisation so I know exactly what I am telling you. Youths volunteered to fight back for him for free but Prof Odoh refused to respond to guns with guns. He said he wouldn’t go illegal even for free. He believes so much in legality.
“Odoh is very bright academically and highly resourceful. From the beginning, he has been a very intelligent student and an incredible teacher. He’s very innovative and tactical in his outings.
“He is a man that prides in integrity. We all know the rot in our universities in Nigeria today. It becomes a blessing to have a man who would rather resign than compromise. Let me tell you a brief story about Professor Odoh. In May 2015, Prof. Odoh was appointed the Secretary to the Ebonyi State Government. Three years down the line in April 2018, he voluntarily resigned because the government the was serving her interest as the SSG was not serving the interest of the people.
“The government had a lot of anti-people policies that had no direct impacts on the lives of the poor people, including building flyovers in the state capital, where there was no reason for it, abandoning education and other human orientated policies that will benefit and uplift the people. Imagine resigning the juicy position of the SSG of a state because of the integrity of not being part of the deceits against the people. He did this because he would rather resign than deceive the people and share their money.
“After his resignation, the then government threatened to probe him and Professor Odoh invited EFCC by himself to probe him and declare his innocence. He became the first public officer to invite EFCC to probe him and nothing was found against him. In all his time in office, he did not involve himself in any dirty deal and resigned instead of staining himself.
“He is also a change agent; and most importantly, he’s an agent of transformation. Judge him by the few days he has stayed in office, he has toured the entire school and its faculties. He has taken records of everything needed to be done to improve the university. He’s always prepared and nothing takes him by chance.”
