Our attention has been drawn to a mischievous and misleading publication circulating online under the sensational headline: “Dan Orbih dares Okpebholo, insists VC recruitment he supervised takes precedence over gov’s interest.”
We, as stakeholders of Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, find this report not only grossly misleading but also an unfortunate attempt to undermine the authority of the Edo State Government and misrepresent the true state of affairs within the Governing Council of the University.
For the avoidance of doubt, the following clarifications are pertinent:
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Government Directive Remains Supreme:
The Edo State Government, as the Visitor to the University, issued a clear directive regarding the Vice-Chancellorship recruitment process. Since that directive, the Governing Council under Chief Dan Orbih has neither convened any lawful meeting nor scheduled one to reconsider the matter. Instead, the Chairman has unilaterally taken positions, acting outside the collective authority of the Council. -
Chairman Acting Alone, Disrespecting Due Process:
Contrary to claims of “due process,” the reality is that the Chairman of the Council has consistently acted in isolation, refusing to call for a full Council meeting where members can deliberate, as is required by law and convention. Stakeholders and Council members known to us have consistently complained that they are sidelined in a matter as grave as the recruitment of a Vice-Chancellor. This conduct is an open violation of collegial governance and a clear disregard for the directive of the Edo State Government. -
Panel Reconstitution Ignored:
The government’s instruction to reconstitute the selection panel was never complied with. Instead, Chief Dan Orbih has continued to arrogate powers to himself, acting as though the Council were his private estate. This draconian and unilateral approach undermines transparency, accountability, and the integrity of the institution. -
Legal and Political Implications:
By law, Ambrose Alli University remains an institution established and funded by the Edo State Government, with the Governor as Visitor. Any recruitment exercise not aligned with the directives of the Visitor lacks legitimacy ab initio. Politically, it is deeply irresponsible to fan the flames of division by portraying a lawful directive of government as “political meddling.” The law is clear: the Governing Council exists to serve the institution, not the whims of one man. -
Call on Government to Act:
We therefore call on the Edo State Government to urgently review the situation and decisively address the excesses of Chief Dan Orbih’s high-handed leadership of the Governing Council. His continued disregard for lawful directives and failure to carry along Council members, staff, and management is untenable. The University cannot be held hostage to the whims of a single individual.
Furthermore, we have been reliably informed that the Chairman has directed that invitation letters be sent to all the 25 applicants for the position of Vice-Chancellor, scheduling their interviews for Friday, September 19, 2025. Shockingly, all Professors are to be interviewed in a single day. What a contradiction—while the publication falsely claims that the earlier interview exercise takes precedence over government directives, the Chairman himself is moving forward with a new process that directly conflicts with the government’s clear instruction to reconstitute the panel. This exposes the inconsistency and arbitrariness of his actions.
In conclusion, Edo people deserve the truth: there is no standoff between due process and government authority, except in the imagination of those intent on misleading the public. What exists is a deliberate act of insubordination by a Council Chairman who has chosen to operate outside the law and collective decision-making.
The government must therefore act firmly to safeguard Ambrose Alli University from political hijack and personal dictatorship.
Signed,
Oza Mathew
On behalf of Concerned Stakeholders of Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma in Diaspora
