The Director, AgriBusiness Incubation Centre of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, MOUAU, Philips Nto, has been urged to avoid making statements that may destroy the peace in the institution because of his non-confirmation as a professor.
The advise was given by stakeholders of the university drawn from different communities and establishments situated in Umudike, during a press conference in Umuahia.
The stakeholders who were responding to the agitations of the Senior Lecturer, Philips Nto, about the delay in his promotion since 2021, faulted his allegation that the Governing Council of the university is persecuting Abia indigenes in the institution and sitting on his promotion.
Speaking on behalf of the stakeholders, Anyaragbu Chinweuba, Bright Eluwa and others argued that Nto who holds the rank of PhD was on Leave of Absence for about 10 years before resuming as a Senior Lecturer in MOUAU.
They faulted his alleged attempts to bring the name of President Bola Tinubu into his agitation.
“We need peace in the university and in our community, we don’t want crises. We also want the best person to be selected as the new Vice Chancellor, irrespective of which state he comes from,” Chinweuba said.
But responding to the stakeholders claims that he is not yet qualified to become a professor, Nto said he had met all requirements to be confirmed a professor and alleged that his promotion is being withheld.
According to him, the Governing Council of the institution has refused to to approve the release of his promotion to the rank of a professor, which he said has been due since 2021.
“Curiously, it has been approving the professorial promotion of other academics especially those from Enugu State with the speed of light,” Nto alleged.
He further said that the Vice Chancellor of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Professor Maduebibisi Ofo Iwe, and the university’s lawyers are in favour of his recommended promotion.
