By Joseph ETTA in Calabar
Governor Ben Ayade and his elder brother (name withheld) are flexing muscles on who will become the next Vice Chancellor of the state owned University, Cross River State University of Technology.
Daybreak learnt from a dependable source that two names are penciled down for the top Job. Prof. Emmanuel Ngwa, a Professor of Education presently in CRUTECH and Prof. Anthony from the University of Jos, a Professor of Geology.
Prof. Emmanuel Ngwa hails from Obudu, Ayade’s home town, while Prof. Anthony hails from Yale in Ogoja Local Government Area.
The bone of contention is that while Prof. Ben Ayade prefers Prof. Anthony from Yale for the job, the elder brother who is the de facto Governor in Cross River State prefers Prof. Emmanuel Agwa from Obudu, their place of birth.
An insider told Daybreak that the reason Ben Ayade wants to bring Prof. Anthony is because of his ambition to return to the Senate after his tenure as a Governor, he wants to balance the equation. He wants to use the appointment to pacify and compensate the people of Yale in Ogoja.
He knows he has not performed as a Governor, so he needs to start now to work for the vote of the people of Yale. The source added.
However, the appointment of the interim Vice Chancellor Prof. (Mrs.) Akon Joshua which was intended for another 3 months will expires by the end of this October.
She was supposed to act for 3 months but because of the power-play, her appointment was extended for another 3 months ending by October.
Meanwhile, fresh trouble looms as students are ready for a show-down with the authority over the harsh and unfriendly policy of no school fee, no examination. The students are lamenting that the policy of no fee, no examination. “when you don’t pay your school fee, your script will not be mark is totally wrong. It is a heavy weight on the student, some of us our parents are struggling under the present economic crunch” a student said.
When Daybreak contacted the V.C for her command, our reporter was told arrogantly by Prof. Akon Joshua “I don’t talk to the press.”
