Admiralty University of Nigeria Appoints Professor Ogbogbo as Vice-Chancellor Amidst Controversy
IBUSA/Nigeria: The Admiralty University of Nigeria (ADUN) has announced the appointment of Professor Christopher Bankole Ndubisi Ogbogbo as its substantive Vice-Chancellor, a decision the university says was made in strict adherence to its establishment act, following recent online and tabloid reports alleging irregularities in the selection process.
In a press statement released on March 4, 2025, Registrar and Secretary to Council, Commodore Isaac M Mankilik (rtd), PhD, clarified that the University Governing Council’s decision was based on the Admiralty University of Nigeria Establishment Act 2022. The selection process, he emphasized, involved advertising the vacancy, constituting a search team, and a joint council and senate selection board, all as mandated by the Act.
“The Council selected Professor CBN Ogbogbo from the three candidates recommended by the Joint Selection Board, as mandated by Section 4(1) subsections 5 and 6 of the ADUN Act 2022,” Mankilik stated. He further clarified that the Act does not require the Council to select the candidate with the highest score from the recommended candidates, stressing that the final decision is a selection, not based solely on awarded marks.
The statement addressed specific points of contention, including the absence of the Council Chairman on the final day of the meeting, February 28, 2025, when Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Rear Admiral MM Abdullahi, was nominated as Acting Chairman.
To ensure transparency, the Honourable Minister of Education, Dr. Murufu Olatunji Alausa, has approved the declassification of the Council report from the 2nd extraordinary Council meeting for public release. The university also highlighted that the final report was discussed, ratified, and adopted by 13 out of 15 Council Members before being signed.
“It is fundamental to note that the final report was discussed, ratified and indeed adopted by the House before it was signed by 13 out of 15 Council Members,” Mankilik stated.
The university has attached the full report of the Governing Council 2nd Extraordinary meeting to the press release, providing detailed information on the procedure and decision. This move aims to counter what ADUN describes as “inaccurate and misleading online and tabloid publications, seemingly orchestrated by vested interests seeking to sow discord.”
The university’s response aims to reassure stakeholders that the appointment of Professor Ogbogbo was conducted legally and transparently, despite the controversy.
