Professoriate Dispute: Nto Alleges MOUAU ASUU of Being Used by Pro-Chancellor

Dr. Philips Nto

Dr. Philips Nto, Director of the Agribusiness Incubation Centre at Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike (MOUAU), has faulted the position of the university’s local chapter of ASUU over the delay in his promotion.
Nto criticised the union in a statement issued to journalists on Saturday in Umuahia.
He described ASUU’s claim that he was unqualified for promotion to the rank of professor under the 2017 Staff Conditions of Service as “ignorant, petty, and nepotistic.”
The lecturer has been contesting the delay in his promotion since 2021. According to him, his leave of absence was granted under the 2003 Staff Conditions of Service and was renewed annually. He questioned whether the 2017 regulations were intended to apply retroactively and, if so, whether they were meant to target him alone.
Nto further described the local ASUU chapter as a “wicked and manipulative tool” allegedly being used by the Pro-Chancellor, Mr. Fidelis Edeh.
A former Commissioner for Finance and Economic Planning in Abia State, Nto accused the union of acting as “errand boys” in what he termed an orchestrated vendetta against him by Edeh.
He questioned how the ASUU Chairman could claim superior knowledge to the university’s legal adviser, who had reportedly issued an opinion stating that the 2017 Conditions of Service could not be applied retroactively to his case.
Addressing allegations that he sought to move directly from Senior Lecturer to Professor without first attaining the rank of Associate Professor, Nto dismissed the claim. He stated that he was assessed separately for both Associate Professor and Professor, and that the respective files were submitted independently for consideration. Such a process, he argued, is not unusual within the university system, as each promotion should be evaluated on its individual merit.
He expressed frustration that, despite the Governing Council sitting ten consecutive times, it had neither approved nor rejected his promotion. He said this impasse prompted him to appeal to President Bola Tinubu for intervention, having exhausted all internal mechanisms.
Nto accused Edeh of pursuing a personal vendetta, alleging that even after a Council committee recommended his promotion, the Pro-Chancellor stalled the process with various excuses.
He urged the local ASUU chapter to stop what he described as the “witch-hunting” of members and instead support the new National President of ASUU, whom he claimed had achieved more in two months than the local leadership had in eight years.
He also called on the national leadership of ASUU to investigate what he termed an “unholy alliance” between the local chapter and Edeh. According to him, ASUU MOUAU’s stance on his case reflects bias and envy.
The lecturer challenged the union’s executive to an open debate on why he should not be promoted to the rank of professor with effect from 2021.
He further argued that those who insist he should not have engaged in academic activities while on leave should be prepared to invalidate the accreditation exercises, as well as the certificates of the students he supervised and taught during that period.
Nto reiterated his call on the Chairman of the Governing Council to either approve or formally reject his promotion, providing clear and stated reasons for the decision.