The Acting Vice-Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT), Prof. Stephen Okodudu has been charged to restore the institution to the path of academic excellence, rather than playing cheap politics
According to Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike while receiving a delegation of UNIPORT led by Okodudu in Government House, Port Harcourt, the institution has used to be one of the best in academics, character moulding and leadership in the country.
He Uniport has become an institution where lecturers aligned with mainstream politicians to manipulate the electoral process.
He said the emergence of a substantive vice-chancellor of the university was enmeshed in such politics.
He said: “It is appalling that the appointment of a Vice-Chancellor of the institution is also immersed in such political consideration. That is the reason why there is an impasse in the emergence of a substantive Vice-Chancellor.
“I must tell you the truth. Politics has penetrated the institution. The position of a Vice-Chancellor used to be based on merit.
“But the consideration now is different. Every Vice-Chancellor wants to align with a politician or is appointed because of such affiliation. In turn, he recruits willing lecturers who will be used to manipulate the electoral process.
“Such a trend is destroying the university system. It distracts from the core business of teaching. After manipulating the outcome of an election, you will turn around to say leaders are not doing anything.
“You make it possible for bad leaders to emerge and you bemoan their inefficiency in office. How can you exonerate yourselves from such leadership?
“Rigging of election is worse than armed robbery. It is better to punish such people more because they have denied the people their mandate and benefits of good governance,” he stated.