Court Adjourns Hearing On Ojukwu Varsity VC Case To May 21
The National Industrial Court, sitting in Awka has fixed May 21 for the hearing of the matter between Prof. Chike Osegbue and Prof. Kate Omenugha and five others over the appointment of substantive Vice Chancellor for Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University.
Osegbue in his suit NICN/ARJ/275/2025 is praying the Court to declare the appointment of Prof. Kate Omenugha as illegal and void.
He also prayed the court to declare him the substantive Vice Chancellor of COOU on the grounds that he was the first of the three candidates recommended by the Governing Council of the university.
Recall that Gov. Chukwuma Soludo who is the visitor of the institution on Aug. 6 appointed Omenugha as the substantive VC following the conclusion of the selection process.
The selection process was conducted by a Joint Committee of University Council and Senate representative, under the chairmanship of Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, the Pro-chancellor who is also a defendant in the matter.
Other defendants in the suit are the Governor of Anambra, the Attorney- General of Anambra, Prof. Odinkalu, Council of COOU, the Council of COOU and COOU as 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th defendants.
Osegbue said that the appointment of Omenugha by Soludo was in defiance to Ordinance II (4) (d), and Statute VI (1) of the 1 Schedule to the COOU Law 2014 and was therefore illegal, absurd, arbitrary, condemnable and wrongful
The Claimant prayed for a declaration that the purported appointment of Omenugha as VC, was null, void and of no effect in that is contrary to and done in violation of Ordinance 11 (4) (d), read together with Statute VI (I) of the I Schedule to COOU Law 2014.
He argued that Omenugha was not amongst the first three candidates recommended by the Joint Committee of Council and Senate Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University.
Osegbue asked the court to “determine whether the governor could exercise such unbridled whimsical and or untrammeled powers to arbitrarily and unlawfully refuse, fail, ignore and or neglect the recommendation of the Council in the appointment of the VC.
When the matter was called up on Thursday, Kaine Anunwune of JS Okutekpa Chambers whi appeared for the Claimant moved an application to regularise a counter motion to the preliminary objection of the defendant.
Patrick Ikweto SAN who appeared for the first and second defendant also moved an application for further counter to the suit and to submit a cleaner copy within seven days.
Justice John Tergama who presided over the matter granted the two applications.
Justice Tergama said all applications and the substantive suit would be heard together.
He adjourned to May 21 for hearing of the matter.
