A fresh controversy has emerged at the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike (MOUAU), following allegations by a group known as the Integrity and Transparency Consortium that the Director of the Agribusiness Incubation Centre, Dr. Philip Nto, is facing criminal charges and should therefore be interdicted.
The group reportedly petitioned the university’s Governing Council, insisting that Dr. Nto must step aside from office while the alleged case runs its course.
But in an exclusive reaction during an interview with Don FM News, Dr. Nto strongly dismissed the claims, describing the petition as “a spurious document written by a faceless group that cannot be identified.”
Nto: “A Faceless Petition Cannot Stand”
Dr. Nto expressed surprise that such a petition is being circulated on social media, insisting that it lacks legitimacy and due process.
“A petition ought to be written by somebody that can be recognized so that the person can appear before a formal organization — that’s MOUAU — and defend it. I am not expected to respond to something circulating on social media,” he stated.
He questioned why the petition was addressed to the Chairman of the Governing Council instead of the Vice-Chancellor, who is the official empowered to handle university correspondence.
“Every correspondence concerning the university must go to the Vice-Chancellor, who handles day-to-day administration. That it was taken to the Pro-Chancellor shows there is an underground current,” he added.
“I Have Not Been Convicted; My Rights Remain Intact”
Addressing the allegation that he is facing a criminal case, Dr. Nto stressed that no court has convicted him and that the constitution presumes every citizen innocent until proven guilty.
“As far as I know, the case I have in court has not resulted in any conviction. Until then, I will enjoy my rights and privileges as a MOUAU employee,” he emphasized.
He said he has no fear of any legitimate interdiction process if it aligns with the law.
“I am a law-abiding citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. If the law says I should be interdicted, I will submit myself. But any law inconsistent with the constitution is nullified.”
Promotion Delay: “A Political Plot to Stop Me From Becoming Vice-Chancellor”
Beyond the petition, Dr. Nto revealed what he believes to be the true issue at stake — his long-delayed promotion to the rank of professor.
According to him, despite completing all assessment processes since 2021, the Governing Council has refused to approve the promotion.
“For over a year, the Council has been sitting on my promotion even though all relevant bodies have completed their appraisal. This shows there is an interest — they want to stop me from becoming Vice-Chancellor,” he asserted.
He argued that any talk of interdiction should not affect a promotion that should have taken effect years earlier.
“If my promotion is effective from 2021, how does an allegation surfacing now stop something due to me years before? Let them separate the issues.”
“I Made My Mark Everywhere I Served”
Reflecting on his career, Dr. Nto reiterated his contributions while on secondment as Commissioner in the Ministry of Finance and later as Provost of the Abia State College of Education (Technical), Arochukwu.
“In both places, I made marks that cannot be erased. I have returned to my primary constituency, and by God’s grace, the Vice-Chancellor appointed me the first Director of the Agribusiness Incubation Centre,” he said.
Conclusion
The unfolding standoff between Dr. Nto and the university’s Governing Council signals deeper political undercurrents within MOUAU’s leadership structure.
While the Integrity and Transparency Consortium insists on interdiction, Dr. Nto maintains he remains legally protected, unjustly targeted, and politically sidelined.
The university community now awaits the response of the Governing Council, which may determine whether the matter escalates into a full-blown institutional crisis or finds a path toward resolution.
