By Omonregie Ebhos Benin City, Edo State.
Examination Breakdown
The Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma, Continuous Assessment Test Examination scheduled to commence yesterday ended in failure due to inefficiencies within the ICT Directorate and the management led by Vice Chancellor Professor Eunice Omonzeje. Students from the Faculty of Physical Sciences and the Faculty of Education were left stranded as the arrangement collapsed, forcing them to return home after waiting in vain for nearly 8–9 hours.
Financial Concerns
Reports indicate that approximately ₦180 million was spent on the relocation of the Computer-Based Examination (CBE) center to Elumelu Hall. However, there were no visible new items or accessories purchased by the University management. This has raised serious questions about transparency and accountability in the use of funds.
Student and Staff Reactions
A student, Osato Efosa, expressed frustration, noting that even when school fees are paid, the system often fails to confirm successful transactions, reflecting deeper systemic issues. A staff member, who preferred to remain anonymous, alleged that despite the large expenditure, no new ICT equipment was acquired. The staff further warned that the University risks collapse if such mismanagement continues, citing manual salary payments and restricted access to student union funds as troubling signs.
Salary and Bailout Fund Concerns
University staff remain surprised and dismayed that the Vice Chancellor has failed to ensure timely payment of salaries at the end of each month. Furthermore, the ₦1 billion bailout fund released by Governor Senator Monday Okpebholo has reportedly been withheld for two months without explanation. This situation is particularly alarming given the current economic hardship and fuel price hikes caused by the ongoing Iran–Israel–America conflict.
The deepening crisis at Ambrose Alli University (AAU) Ekpoma exposed what critics now describe as a troubling mix of political interference and administrative inexperience, with the Edo State Government coming under fire for what is widely seen as the calculated scapegoating of the University’s Bursar.
The removal and redeployment of Dr. Sadiq Akor from his position as substantive Bursar—announced through the office of the Secretary to Edo State Government—has been condemned in strong terms as not only procedurally flawed but fundamentally unjust.
By bypassing the University’s Governing Council, the government is accused of riding roughshod over established laws governing university administration, raising serious concerns about executive overreach. But beyond the issue of process lies a more contentious allegation: that the action was a deliberate attempt to deflect blame.
The controversy erupted shortly after the university failed to pay staff salaries during the Easter period—an embarrassing lapse that reportedly angered the Visitor and Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo. Rather than confront the leadership failures that led to the situation, critics argue, attention was conveniently redirected toward the Bursar.
Stakeholders insist this narrative collapses under basic scrutiny. In any properly run university system, the Vice-Chancellor is the Chief Accounting Officer, exercising ultimate authority over financial decisions, while the Bursar functions within that chain of command. To isolate the Bursar for punishment, they argue, is not just misleading—it is a distortion of administrative reality designed to shield those at the top.
Even more damning are growing concerns about the competence of the current university management. Insiders describe a leadership structure struggling with the fundamentals of governance—financial planning, staff welfare, and crisis management—now compounded by what many see as poor judgment in handling the fallout.
For critics, the salary debacle is not an isolated incident but a symptom of deeper administrative weaknesses. Questions are also being raised about the broader credibility and standing of the leadership, with some members of the academic community pointing to concerns over scholarly visibility and institutional direction.
While such criticisms remain contested, they reinforce a widening perception that AAU is being steered without the depth of experience required to manage a complex academic institution. For many observers, the real issue is no longer just the fate of the Bursar, but what his removal represents: a system where accountability is selectively applied, due process is sidelined, and leadership is insulated from scrutiny.
Stakeholders are now calling for an immediate reversal of the decision, a council-led investigation, and a frank reassessment of both the government’s role and the capacity of the current university management.
Until then, the crisis at AAU risks hardening into a defining example of how not to manage a public university—where expediency trumps fairness, and scapegoats replace solutions.
The failure of the CBE test, coupled with financial mismanagement, delayed salaries, and the controversial removal of the Bursar, has sparked outrage among students and staff. They are calling on the University Governing Council, the Edo State Government, and all relevant stakeholders to intervene urgently. Without decisive action, the credibility and future of Ambrose Alli University may be severely compromised.