Industrial court Kicks UNIABUJA VC out of Office

Barely a week after his appointment, the Industrial Court yesterday restrained the Vice Chancellor of the University of Abuja (UNIABUJA), Prof. Mike Adiukwu, from occupying the office. It also restrained the Governing Council of the university from taking any step to implement the report of the Joint Council and Senate Selection Board on the appointment of the new Vice Chancellor. But it directed that the originating summons be served on the university’s council, the VC and six other respondents. Adiukwu was elected by eight of the 13-member Governing Council of the university. The split within the council led to the suit. The president of the Industrial Court, Justice B.A. Adejumo, yesterday gave an ex-parte order, following an application by a university lecturer, Dr. Raji Rasheed, and two others. The applicants asked the court to restrain Adiukwu from parading himself as the Vice Chancellor, pending the determination of the motion on notice. The order reads: “It is therefore ordered that the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 6th Defendants/Respondents, their agents, privies, assigns, servants, however so called from taking steps to appoint the 7th Defendant/Respondent as the new Vice Chancellor of the University of Abuja in any manner whatsoever, and from performing the duties/and all other functions of the office of the Vice Chancellor of the University of Abuja, pending the determination the Motion on Notice in this case. “It is further ordered that the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 6th Defendants/Respondents shall not take part overtly or covertly in any act or action concerning the appointment of any person whatsoever to the office of the Vice Chancellor of the University of Abuja, Abuja pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice herein.”