A simmering dispute has reportedly erupted between the Pro-Chancellor of the University of Calabar (UNICAL), DIG Udom Ekpo-Udom (rtd), and the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Florence Obi, over alleged attempts to manipulate the succession process as her tenure nears its end.
Prof Obi’s five-year term is due to expire in November 2025.
However, controversy has emerged over her alleged imposition of a new eligibility requirement, which mandates that aspirants for the Vice Chancellor position must have attained professorship for at least 10 years, a significant increase from the traditionally accepted five to six years.
Sources within the university’s Governing Council say the abrupt change has triggered resistance from council members, including the Pro-Chancellor, who reportedly insists on maintaining the status quo.
Ekpo-Udom is said to have strongly opposed the new criterion, describing it as arbitrary and potentially exclusionary. Some members of the Council have allegedly taken the matter to the Federal Ministry of Education for intervention.
Critics argue that the new benchmark appears designed to sideline strong contenders deemed unfavorable to the outgoing VC.
“This is yet another hurdle being placed to eliminate credible and well-qualified candidates from the race in a federal university,”; said a source who requested anonymity.
According to stakeholders, there is no historical precedent for a 10-year post-professorial requirement at UNICAL.
Mr Benjamin Amon, a prominent university stakeholder, labeled the move “unfair and legally questionable,”; adding that the Federal Ministry of Education has not issued or endorsed any such directive.
There are also claims of attempts to zone the Vice Chancellorship, a practice not traditionally associated with UNICAL’s selection process.
In response, Ekpo-Udom has distanced himself from the proposed policy and reiterated his commitment to fairness and due process.
However, sources close to Prof. Obi contend that the 10-year benchmark is not entirely new, citing previous efforts to institutionalize it.
Observers warn that if unresolved, the conflict could spark legal challenges within the Governing Council and further destabilize the university’s transition process.
Notably, across Nigeria’s first-generation universities, the average post-professorial requirement for Vice Chancellorship appointments typically ranges between six and eight years.
