VC, Reps c’ttee chair spar over rusticated students

Four years after, the authorities at the Madonna University Okija, Anambra State have opened up on the reasons two of its former students, dragged the university to Federal High Court, Enugu division. The Vice Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Chuks Emmanuel Ezedum, who disclosed this at a press conference yesterday in Abuja, said the former […]

Four years after, the authorities at the Madonna University Okija, Anambra State have opened up on the reasons two of its former students, dragged the university to Federal High Court, Enugu division.

The Vice Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Chuks Emmanuel Ezedum, who disclosed this at a press conference yesterday in Abuja, said the former students were expelled for examination malpractices, drug abuse and academic failure.

He said these led to their rustication and loss of an academic year before they were finally expelled.

“At several times, they had been found culpable of vices such as examination malpractices, drug abuse and distribution including academic failures which led to rustication, suspension, and loss of an academic year,” Ezedum said.

He said although, the case at the Federal High Court was decided in favour of the university, the students afterwards filed a petition at the Human Rights Commission (HRC) which acknowledged the competence of the court to handle the case and excused itself from the case.

He, however, wondered why the House of Representatives Committee on Public Petitions would entertain what he called “a mislead petition” brought before it by the former students after losing their case at the High Court.

Prof. Ezedum insisted that the Reps Committee on Public Petitions should have waited for the outcome of a pending suit in an Enugu court filed by the two former students against some officers of the university.

He also claimed that letters of invitation to the University to attend the sittings of the committee came two weeks after the committee had sat and that it could be a measure for the university authorities not to answer to the petition.

When contacted, the House of Representative Committee Chairman on Public Complaints and Petition, Hon. Nkem Abonta said the Madonna University Vice Chancellor said the committee is doing its work.