The authorities of Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, may be heading for a fresh crisis over the appointment of a substantive Vice-Chancellor following the issuance of Form 86 by the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN), Awka Judicial Division, threatening to commit them to prison for contempt of court.
Details of the Form 86, obtained by The Nation, titled “Notice of Consequences of Disobedience to Order of Court” in Suit No. NICN/AWK/61/2025, dated October 30, 2025, were served on the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council, Monsur Olugbenga Kukoyi; the Acting Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Carol Arinze-Umobi; and the Registrar, Dr. Chinenye Gloria Okeke.
The notice read in part: “Unless you obey the directions contained in this order, you will be guilty of contempt of court and liable to be committed to prison.”
This development stems from a consent judgment delivered in 2024 by Justice J.I. Targema of the National Industrial Court, Awka, in a suit between Prof. Anthony Okoye and Nnamdi Azikiwe University and five others.
A Certified True Copy of the judgment dated October 16, 2024, stated:
“By the provisions of Order 42 Rule 9 of NICN Rules 2017, this court hereby enters the terms of settlement as judgment. The said terms shall be binding on the parties.”
Similarly, the Association of Medical and Dental Consultants in Academics had filed Suit No. NICN/ABJ/372/2024 against UNIZIK, praying the court to declare that a Medical Fellowship is equivalent to a PhD for eligibility to be appointed Vice-Chancellor.
The suit was dismissed by the NICN sitting in Abuja on the grounds that the issue had already been decided in Suit No. NICN/AWK/50/2024, filed by Prof. Okoye.
Despite these legal hurdles, the university management recently announced the constitution of a search team for the appointment of a substantive Vice-Chancellor.
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The tenure of the Acting Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Arinze-Umobi, expires in November 2025.
On October 29, 2025, the Senate elected Prof. Amaka Metu of the Department of Economics and Prof. Elizabeth O. Ezenweke of the Department of Religion as its representatives on the search team.
The University Congregation also elected Prof. U.C.C. Nwogwugwu and Mr. Osundu Nnamdi as members.
The election was supervised by the Acting Vice-Chancellor, while the Registrar, Dr. Okeke; Provost, College of Health Sciences, Prof. J.K.C. Emejulu; Provost, College of Postgraduate Studies, Prof. E.C.O. Obidimma; and University Librarian, Prof. Stella N.I. Anasi, witnessed the process.
When contacted, the Pro-Chancellor, Kukoyi said he had not received the court notice but alleged that some individuals with vested interests were trying to derail the VC selection process for selfish reasons.
“There are moves by some people to truncate the process, but their plans won’t work,” he said.
Counsel to the Pro-Chancellor and the university, Dr. Reginald Uzoechi, also insisted there was no legal impediment restraining the Council from performing its statutory duties.
He described those circulating the contempt notice as “desperate individuals bent on dragging the university backwards,” adding that events had overtaken the matter in question.
“The suit was about the newspaper advert published in 2024 and the criteria set by the 10th Council for appointing a new Vice-Chancellor, which the Federal Government later nullified,” he explained.
“They want to frighten the Council members from proceeding with the process, but there is no legal impediment standing against it.”
He said the Council had filed its defence and preliminary objections, and the matter has been adjourned till November 25, 2025.
