…says Process was Ongoing at Handover
UMUDIKE — The immediate past Vice-Chancellor of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Prof. Maduebibisi Ofo Iwe, has defended the 2025/2026 recruitment exercise, saying it was initiated under his leadership and followed due process.
In a statement made available to newsmen by his Media Aide, Chidiamara Uzoh, Prof. Iwe said the exercise was still ongoing at the time he handed over on February 28, 2026.
Background to the recruitment
According to the statement, the Federal Government placed an embargo on employment in universities in 2019, leaving many institutions with depleted workforces.
Prof. Iwe’s administration, the statement said, identified nearly 1,000 vacant positions at MOUAU and secured ₦7 billion in the 2024 and 2025 personnel budgets to accommodate them.
The university later received a federal waiver in Q3 and Q4 of 2025 to employ 426 applicants. The former VC said advertisements were placed, long and shortlists were generated, interviews conducted and physical capture completed.
“The recruitment process commenced under Prof. Iwe’s administration and remained ongoing until he handed over,” the statement said
Compliance and due process
The statement said the administration strictly adhered to the 426 positions approved in the waiver. A list of successful candidates was compiled and submitted in December 2025.
Between January and February 2026, further steps were taken to address stakeholder interests “in the overall interest of the university”, it added.
Prof. Iwe argued that administration is a continuum, and that a process started by one administration can be concluded by the next
Allegation on current VC’s involvement
The former VC also addressed claims regarding the role of the current Vice-Chancellor, who served as Deputy Vice-Chancellor under his administration.
The statement said the current VC was a member of the panel that interviewed shortlisted candidates and participated in Management and Council deliberations on the exercise. The documents are there,” it stated.
It further said all members of the Governing Council and Management participated in the recruitment exercise.
Call for focus on facts
Prof. Iwe said he served MOUAU with “sacrifice, consultation, and transparency” and is willing to present his records to a Presidential Visitation Panel when constituted.
“Attempts to rewrite history or scapegoat Prof. Iwe will fail. Let us choose truth over propaganda and service over self-denial,” the statement concluded.
Recall that MOUAU has been in public focus in recent weeks over governance and administrative issues.
