CONTROVERSY AS WIKE APPOINTS PDP LOYALIST ACTING VC, RSUST

Controversy has surrounded the appointment today of Professor Blessing Didia as the acting Vice Chancellor of the Rivers State University of Science and Technology (RSUST), Nkpolu Oroworukwo. This is owing to the fact that DIdia is a card Carrying member of the Peoples Democratic Party in the State.



Prof. Blessing Didia

Announcing the appointment in a statement he issued today, Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to Governor Nyesom Wike, Opunabo Inko-Tariah, stated that the Governor, in exercise of his powers as Visitor to the university, approved Prof. Didia’s appointment as acting Vice -Chancellor of the University.

Wike also approved the appointment of Professor Boma Oruwari as acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the University. Both appointments take effect after tomorrow, July 31, 2015, being the expiration of the tenure of the incumbent VC, Prof. Barineme Fakae as Vice Chancellor and are with effect from Friday, July 31, 2015.

However, many believe that appointing a member of the PDP to superintend over an academic institution like the RSUST runs against the ethics of corporate governance as he would be perceived to be biased against other staff of the institution who hold contrary political persuasions.