The embattled lecturer in the Department of Mass Communications, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Waziri Isah-Adam, has demanded an investigation into the five year stewardship of the outgoing vice-chancellor of the university, Prof. Kabir Bala.
In a petition addressed to the newly appointed members of the university’s governing council, Mr Adam accused the vice-chancellor of corruption, nepotism, abuse of office and maladministration.
The petition alleged that the VC’s action has compromised the integrity of the institution.
“The allegations are staggering, and the evidence is damning,” Mr Waziri said in a statement issued on Thursday.
He added that, “we demand a comprehensive investigation and urgent action to restore the integrity of ABU.”
The petition also expressed regret that the VC had resorted to sponsoring faceless and fictitious writers on social media to discredit the “age-long established and cherished reputation of the university all in the name of fighting one person, rather than addressing whatever allegation/s or grudge/s the Vice-Chancellor holds against him, through official channels”.
“This shameful tactic, which is simply meant to create fear in me and discourage me from releasing my very rich and documented evidence of the VC’s record of maladministration in his 5 years’ stewardship, is also meant to create a toxic atmosphere of fear and intimidation on campus,” Mr Adam said.
“The VC’s loyalists should also be investigated for alleged perpetuation of culture of corruption and impunity,” he added.
The petition further demanded a thorough investigation into the records and activities of the VC’s loyalists in the offices they held in the past and the ones they are currently holding in the university.
DAILY NIGERIAN reports that Messrs Adam and Bala had been at odds after the former was issued three different queries within a day by the latter.
In the queries, the university management accused Mr Adam of writing a malicious report against the institution in his newspaper.
The institution also queried Mr Adam for failing to complete his PhD programme after 14 years, despite receiving grants from the institution.
The lecturer was also queried over his refusal to disclose the circumstances surrounding his leaving the service of New Nigerian Newspapers prior to joining the university as an academic staff in 2006.
However, Mr Adam said the VC’s queries were a desperate attempt to silence him after his publication exposed his corruption allegations in September 2021.
