By Ogenyi Ogenyi, Uyo
The University of Uyo Alumni Association has welcomed a new leadership team, with Comrade Ekerette Adiaiduo emerging as President
Adiaiduo polled 589 votes to win his closest rival, Prof Aniekan Brown, who garnered 481 votes in the keenly contested election held over the weekend.
Presenting the result, Chairman, Election Committee, Dr Odumayak Okpo who also announced winners for 15 other offices contested for, expressed satisfaction that the process was kept free, fair and credible.
In his acceptance speech, President Adiaiduo thanked his colleagues for the trust placed in him and promised to fulfill his campaign promise of taking the association to new heights.
“I appreciate the confidence reposed in me and assure you that I will work tirelessly to justify the trust you’ve placed in me,” he stated.
In his valedictory speech, outgoing President Rt. Hon Onofiok Luke commended the association’s electoral umpire for conducting a credible election, one of his administration’s key targets.
Luke, a former House of Representatives member highlighted notable achievements of his administration to include influencing the Vice Chancellorship appointment, attracting projects from TETFUND, and providing scholarships to outstanding students.
“When the Vice Chancellorship position of this University was in contention, it was the voice of this association heard at the NUC that restored the Vice Chancellorship of Prof. Nyaudo Ndaeyo.
“Again, with my relationship with TETFUND, we have been able to attract some projects to this University. The Medical students who were rusticated, we were able to bring them back to the University.
“And, in this same University, there were whole lot of things that we did. For the very first time in our Alumni Association, for three consecutive sessions, the best graduating students totalling forty-one of them were given two hundred thousand Naira each as scholarship and that money was paid.
“During COVID-19, three million Naira (N3,000,000.00) was given to the Faculty of Pharmacy by the alumni association for research”. He said
The former Akwa Ibom Assembly Speaker and outgoing President noted challenges faced by his administration, particularly the non-release of dues by the University’s consultant, which hindered project implementation.
He however expressed satisfaction that the University management had taken steps to address the issue, with the consultant being investigated by the EFCC and expected to remit approximately N40 million in owed dues.
“We could not carry on most of the projects because the consultant that the University gave to collect our dues, up until today, is still owing us about forty million Naira (N40,000,000.00).
And today, I want to commend the management of the University led by Prof. Ndaeyo who had caused that man to be arrested and he’s been in the EFCC custody for the past three months. He will produce our dues totaling over forty million Naira”.
Luke congratulated his successor and wished him well, while also urging the new administration to prioritize resolving the outstanding dues issue. “I congratulate Comrade Adiaiduo on his election and wish him success in his tenure. I hope he will build on the foundation laid by my administration and take the association to greater heights,” Luke stated.
