Authorities of Ambrose Alli University (AAU), which is owned by Edo State and is located in Ekpoma, Edo State, have been urged to stop protecting Professor Ugbesia Fredrick Igene from being charged with perjury. As a result, the university administration has been requested to turn over Professor Ugbesia Fredrick Igene for criminal prosecution right away.
Some worried academics at the university said in a heated press release released to the media in Benin City yesterday that Prof. Ugbesia Fredrick Igene, a leading candidate for vice-chancellorship at Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, shouldn’t have been interviewed for the position due to his indictment for falsifying his university records to the point where he lied under oath in two separate court affidavits with different dates of birth.
Since Prof. Ugbesia Fredrick Igene is being prosecuted, the concerned academics, speaking on behalf of AAU, Ekpoma Academic Patriots, demanded that the university administration immediately turn him over. According to information obtained by Standarddailypress.com, Prof. Ugbesia Fredrick Igene was accused by the university authorities of falsifying and manipulating his records, including his birthdate.
“After careful consideration of the Report of the University Staff Disciplinary Committee (USDC) on Multiple Dates of Birth, the Special Intervention Team (S.I.T), Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, at its meeting held on Friday, 7th July, 2023, decided as follows,” read a letter dated August 8, 2023, signed by Mr. Ambrose E. Odiase, Acting Registrar, and addressed to Mr. Fredrick Ugbesia Igene (Professor/Ag. Dean, Fac. of Agric.), with reference number REG/SSA/P.2465. (i) that you should be cautioned to refrain from changing your records; and (ii) that June 21, 1961, be recognised as your true birthdate.
You are therefore forewarned. The group argued that the University authorities do not have the authority to try a staff member for any criminal offence beyond that which borders on (gross) misconduct, despite the University Staff Disciplinary Committee’s (USDC) alleged trial and warning of Prof. Ugbesia Fredrick Igene for altering and falsifying his date of birth. The crime of perjury is the crucial issue here, and it is outside the purview of the university to address or look into.
They asked, “They disqualified some credible candidates for no reason, but the so-called warning letter is actually enough retaliation to keep him out of the race.” Academic patriots from the AAU in Ekpoma argued that Prof. Ugbesia Fredrick Igene’s consideration and approval for the vice-chancellorship race raises doubts about the legitimacy and openness of the entire process, as he is reportedly the first candidate to be interviewed.
According to the group’s statement, which was signed by Dr. Frank Ugbesia, “such a vice-chancellorship process can only be fraught with compromise, lack of transparency, and political manipulations.” They maintained that based on his work history, Professor Fredrick Ugbesia Igene lacks the moral character and integrity necessary to serve as vice-chancellor of a university. They cautioned that any attempt to do otherwise would put Governor Monday Okpebholo’s current emancipatory intervention in the University on a back burner, particularly if it involved clinging to the alleged outcome of the current vice-chancellorship process in AAU, Ekpoma.
Governor Monday Okpebholo was praised and commended by academic patriots for the historic achievement at the university. They described him as a man of his words, a compassionate person, and a pragmatic progressive politician, as demonstrated by his accomplishments thus far at the university. In addition to expressing their unwavering support for the governor, the group prayed for God to guide Governor Monday Okpebholo in his efforts to rebuild and change the university.
Below are the documents ;
