A Rejoinder to the Clarification by the AAU Governing Council Chairman
By Concerned Stakeholders of Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma in Diaspora.
Our attention has been drawn to the so-called clarification issued by the Governing Council Chairman of Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma, and circulated through the office of the Principal Assistant Registrar, Media and Protocol, Mr. Otunba Michael Aladenika. While the statement was couched to project legality and transparency, it remains at best a diversionary ploy, riddled with inconsistencies, and at worst, an attempt to conceal deeper governance and financial improprieties.
Points of Concern
1. Selective Reading of Government’s Letter
At the last council meeting, the Chairman, Chief Dan Osi Orbih, only read the letter of His Excellency, the Governor of Edo State, through the Acting Vice Chancellor. The presentation was incoherent, leaving members with more questions than answers. If indeed the process was as transparent as claimed, why was the full content of the letter not officially circulated to council members and stakeholders?
2. Delay in Government’s Announcement
The council claims to have submitted three names to the Governor nearly four months ago. Why then has the Edo State Government not acted upon those recommendations? This silence points either to credibility issues with the recommendations themselves or to serious doubts within government circles about the integrity of the process.
3. Conflict of Interest and Procurement Concerns
It has become public knowledge that Chief Orbih has allegedly been pushing for contracts through his private company, Billmax Nigeria Limited, located in Abuja. This is a textbook case of conflict of interest under the Public Procurement Act 2007 and the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act, which prohibit public officials from using their offices for personal gain.
4. Diversion of Staff Savings and Union Deductions
Equally troubling are reports that the Governing Council attempted to channel staff-earned savings and workers’ union deductions into questionable contracts. This reckless financial behavior violates the principle of separation of funds under accounting best practices and contravenes Section 15 of the University (Miscellaneous Provisions) Amendment Act 2003.
Worse still, in the last salary cycle, the council illegally deducted between ₦50 and ₦145 from staff salaries, only to hurriedly refund the money when the unions threatened strike action. Such actions reveal poor judgment, disregard for due process, and administrative insensitivity.
A Call to Governor Monday Okpebholo
We therefore call on the Executive Governor of Edo State, Senator Monday Okpebholo, to immediately remove Chief Dan Osi Orbih as Chairman of the Governing Council of AAU.
Here is a man who claims he is reviewing petitions, yet he openly treats Your Excellency as his protégé while simultaneously disregarding the directives of the Edo State Government.
Your Excellency, may we ask: Did Chief Orbih inform you of the recent TETFUND award to the university? If not, why conceal such a critical matter from the visitor to the university?
Our humble advice is clear: give Chief Orbih a safe landing now, because if not, the council seat under him will only get hotter. The staff of AAU have endured enough insults and manipulations, and patience is wearing thin.
Legal and Accounting Implications
Breach of Fiduciary Responsibility: As Chairman, Chief Orbih is legally bound to act in the best interest of the institution. Using staff funds or procurement influence for personal or political gain amounts to misappropriation and could attract both civil and criminal liabilities.
Conflict of Interest: Any contract influenced by his company would be voidable in law under the Public Procurement Act.
Financial Mismanagement: Diversion of staff contributions violates accounting standards and opens the university to audit queries and possible sanctions from financial oversight agencies.
Mr. Chairman, Ambrose Alli University is not your personal estate to be milked for political patronage. Governance is stewardship, not profiteering. If care is not taken, your actions will drag this great university into deeper crises—worse than the SIT troubles His Excellency is currently labouring to resolve.
We therefore urge the Governor to act decisively in the interest of fairness, transparency, and the future of AAU. God is in charge, and no scheme, however carefully crafted, can bury the truth.
Dr. Momoh Robinson
United Kingdom.
On behalf of the Ambrose Alli University Ekpoma.
