The Pro-Chancellor of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike (MOUAU), Comrade Fidelis Edeh, has clarified that the Governing Council suspended the institution’s 2025 convocation because the proposed N211 million expenditure was not captured in the budget.
Speaking at a press briefing in Umudike, Edeh described the proposed spending as “gross financial misconduct,” insisting that no responsible public institution can lawfully expend such amount without budgetary provision.
“There is no legitimate government expenditure that is not budgeted for. The issue with the convocation is simple: there was no subhead for it in the 2025 budget,” he stated through his Special Adviser, Comrade Lucky Akabuike.
Promotion Controversy
Addressing allegations of personal vendetta in the delayed professorial promotion of Dr. Philip Nto, a former Abia Commissioner for Finance, Edeh explained that the matter was stepped down following objections from a university Senate representative over due process.
“It is a case of delayed promotion, not denied promotion. The decision was taken collectively by council members,” he stressed, noting that the Vice-Chancellor was present at the meeting and raised no objection.
Edeh questioned why Nto’s name did not appear on earlier promotion lists submitted by the VC between July 2024 and August 2025, despite claims he was due for promotion since 2021.
Nto Fires Back
But Dr. Nto dismissed the Pro-Chancellor’s claims as misleading, insisting on his right to seek presidential intervention as Visitor to the university.
“The President, as Visitor to the university, remains my final arbiter. Unless they now consider themselves higher than the President, there is nothing wrong in my crying,” Nto queried.
He argued that the Vice-Chancellor’s committee recommended his promotion, and accused Edeh of double standards, alleging that other lecturers on leave of absence were recently promoted.
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