From Noah Ocheni, Anyigba
The Vice Chancellor of Prince Abubakar Audu University Anyigba, (PAAU) Prof. Marietu Ohunene Tenuche on Thursday denies being dragged to Court by the KSU Alumni Association over #31m fraud.
Prof. Tenuche who made the clarification at a press briefing held at the old lecture theatre of the University said “Our attention has been drawn to an unfortunate publication and several other news blogs, with headlines like ‘Kogi State University female VC dragged to Court over alleged diversion of N31Million’,
She pointed out that the publication was deliberately set up to mislead the public and cause grave disaffection to the person of the Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof Marietu Ohunene Tenuche.
“Contrary to the purpose of Alumni Associations, the world over, the Kogi State University Management has been, for many years, dealing with a few individuals, who, rather than seek to pursue the ideals of an Alumni Association, resorted to devising ways of milking the University dry, at all cost.”
“To set the records straight, the general public should be informed that Suit No.: AYHC/03/2023 pending before the Kogi State High Court of Justice, siting in Anyigba, has no link whatsoever, with an allegation of fraud against the office and person of the Vice Chancellor of the University.”
She pointed out that the Alumni Association of Kogi State University has been enmeshed in leadership crises for years now, with two factions, all laying claim to legitimacy as National Executives of the Association.
“Clearly seeing that the contents of the Interlocutory Injunction is entirely different from the claim of that faction, the University would rather not invite any of the factions until the matter pending in court over legitimacy of each faction’s claim to the national leadership of the association is resolved.” She said.
Angered by the decision of the University not to give recognition to their faction, the Vice Chancellor disclosed that the arrow-heads of that faction filed an action against the University and made the Vice Chancellor a co-defendant.
“Their claim in the case is that the University be mandated to invite their acclaimed National President to Council Meetings and that previous Council Meetings held to their exclusion and the decisions taken at such meetings, be nullified and asked the court to mandate the University to give account of what they term Alumni finances of the association.”
“Other demands of the dua before now are that; funds, they claimed, belong to the Alumni Association, a reason why they dragged the immediate past University Management to Court.”
“That the University should pay their Lawyer the bills the Association incurred by taking the previous University administration to Court. On this, they have caused accounts of the University to be garnisheed to the tune of N25,000,000.00 (Twenty Five Million Naira), by an order of the Kogi State High Court, sitting in Idah.”
On the first demand, the VC pointed out that the University had released the sum of N17,000,000.00 (Seventeen Million Naira) to the Alumni Association.
Aftermath the release of the funds, Prof. Ohunene confirmed the closure of the University Development Account formerly (Alumni Account) and stopped collection of University Development Levies from graduating students of the University as was previously done before the emergence of the present University Administration.
” On the second demand, the University vehemently objected to pay their Lawyer and has filed an appeal against the subsequent garnishee order of the Kogi State High Court, Idah, at the Court of Appeal, Abuja, While the University has since filed its defence to the case and response to the motion for restraining order of demand for inclusion as members of the University Governing Council.”
She stressed that the perpetrators were bent on bringing their alma mata and her leadership to disrepute, to satisfy their personal aggrandizement, under the guise of “pursing the interest of the alumni association”, without an attempt at verifying the news.
