University of Nigeria Alumni Association, UNAA members alert V-C, Senate, of harassment, witch-hunting…..DNP beaten to a pulp

www.odogwublog.com reports that Members of the University of Nigeria Alumni Association [UNAA] have cried to prominent alumni of the university and stakeholders to rescue their association from a tiny, but dangerous cabal whose mission was to destroy the reputation of those they perceived as their enemies.

The harassment, intimidation and mal-handling of the Association’s Deputy National President [DNP] at its 94^th NEC meeting held recently in Benin City was one of such cases of using UNAA’s leadership to deal with anybody with opposing views .

Some members were seen carrying placards inside the meeting hall with various inscriptions like: ‘UNAA: Say no to dictatorship’; ‘Call Andrew Oruh to order’; ‘Stop gangsterism and witch-hunting’; ‘Intimidations and Harassment must stop’; ‘We don’t want a dictator’.

One of the protesters explained that they had to carry placards as a medium through which they could air their views, because the National Secretary would not allow them to say their mind as he has become a dictator.

‘There is serious problem in UNAA caused by the National President, Chief Andrew Oruh, National Secretary, Nze Nwariaku, South-East Zonal Vice-President, Lady Doris Okoro, National Treasurer, Christy Obi-Keguna, the duo of Dr. Alabeke and Linda Onyekwelu who are ex-officio members, the defeated deputy national presidential aspirant in the Abuja 2015 convention, Princess Ngozi Dabrinze, Mr. Ben Okoronkwo [Chief Oruh’s favoured candidate in the December 2017 election],  Chief Emeka Nwanevu, His Royal Majesty, Eze Mark Odu.

‘These people have vowed to frustrate Prof Orabueze from contesting in the 2017 election, because they feared she is the most favoured candidate’, he stated.

The protesters also alleged that they have executed their plan by unconstitutionally suspending her as the DNP of the association, even when people like Chief Nduka Eya, former UNAA president, Prof Clem Ezechukwu, Barr. Chris Ajigwe, Onitsha branch president, and others maintained that it was a breach of the constitution.

Chief Andrew Oruh was also alleged to have petitioned EFCC, ICPC, Special Fraud Unit, DSS against DNP out of his own violation without first of all setting a committee to investigate the allegation of fraud against his deputy.

According to the protesters whose identities were not given for security reasons disclosed that the Deputy National President’s feud with the National President, Chief Andrew Oruh was that the former had pleaded with the later to give account of the West African Universities Game [WAUG] hosted by UNN in which Chief Oruh was the chairman, organizing committee.

Meanwhile, another member of the association who was not part of the protest They disclosed that the real problem between the two principal officers was that Chief Oruh had wanted his lady friend, Princess Ngozi Dabrinze as his Deputy in order to pave the way for her to succeed him when his tenure expires in November 2017.

Our source who spoke on the condition of anonymity revealed that Oruh has sworn to remove Prof Orabueze as the Deputy National President by all means, and said that when his attempt failed, he resorted to cheap blackmail.

‘Now that he has succeeded in suspending her, unconstitutionally, his plan is to frustrate Prof Orabueze’s chances of winning the 2017 election as the national president. And he has used his cabal to accomplish his mission’, he stated.

 Another member who also pleaded anonymity alleged that Chief Oruh has been handling alumni affairs as his business empire where he awards and executes contracts single-handedly.

‘How many members are involved in the building of the alumni secretariat in UNN? How many people are involved in the hosting of WAUG in 2015?

 ‘There is really urgent need for EFCC, ICPC, DSS to probe Oruh, to ascertain the level of fraud in UNAA. It is fraudulent to run an association for almost four years without presenting a statement of account not even for one day.

 ‘I want to tell you that the level of corruption in UNAA has reached an unprecedented height that unless something is done, the association may be heading to a hitch.

‘Everybody knows that Prof Orabueze has integrity, reputation and character. I am sure that part of her problems is trying to cope in the midst of wolves who see every opening as an opportunity to enrich their pockets’, he fumed.

Our source cited the 2016/2017 alumni admission quota which many people believed was commercialized, and explained that such sensitive matter should have been probed.

He, therefore, called on the Vice-Chancellor, Prof Benjamin Ozumba , the Senate of the university, and the National University Commission to probe the UNAA admission quota or cancel such quota allocated to UNAA since it has now become an avenue for national secretary, and his friends to make money.

Earlier, Chief Oruh had insisted that DNP remains suspended until she complied with the instruction given to her at the 93^rd NEC meeting which ended in fracas as no resolutions were made. On the order he gave to police men, Benin branch president, Dr. Atu Omimi Ejoo, Nze Nwariaku, Vincent Alabeke, and Lady Doris Okoro to bar Prof Orabueze and Chief Reginald J.C. Arazu from entering the Bishop Kelog Hall in Benin City, the venue for UNAA 94^th NEC meeting, he insisted that it was in his power to do so.

Both Prof Orabueze and Chief Arazu were harassed, insulted, malhandled barred from functioning in their offices as the Deputy National President and the Welfare committee chairman, respectively.

When the Deputy National President was contacted, she said that she would not be frustrated out of the race, all the harassment and intimidation, not withstanding.