Efio-Ita Nyok|7 April 2016|5:00pm
Information reaching Negroid Haven suggest that the Executive President and Director of Socials of the Students' Union Government of the University of Calabar (UNICAL SUG), Comrade Ekpo Tete and Richard Unwana, has been suspended from office. This suspension took effect on Wednesday 30 March 2016 by the 38th Senate of the Students Union during their 8th Plenary.
These two officers of the Union were suspended for alleged gross misconduct, lying under oath, embezzlement, and misappropriation of public funds sequel to the report of the fact finding committee of Idaka Elen set up by the Union Senate which found them culpable of gross financial misconduct and abuse of office.
On misappropriation of funds, it was garnered that though the suspended President claims that he has only received the sum of N25, 000
Comr. Ekpo Tete alleged misappropriation goes thus:
*Embezzlement of the sum of N713,120
meant for subscription of satellite Television in the hostels
*Lying to the Union members that he
hasn’t received any subvention from the
management and creating an impression that he took loan to run the government
*Idaka reiterated that the documents made available to his committee proved that the office of the SUG President alone has received the sum of N3,192,620 since he was sworn in.
*Also contained in the report is the accusation that Ekpo Tete collected N450,000 and N232,000 on two occasions for National Association of
Nigerian Students (NANS) meetings but didn't attend the meetings.
However, Comr. Ekpo Tete the embattled Students Union Government President, in a reaction to Nigerian Union of Campus Journalists (NUCJ), UNICAL Chapter has contended that, 'the Senate President didn’t just wake to do what he is doing. He is being masterminded
by some persons somewhere all in the name that school fess has been increased and I am fighting a just course to see that it should be reversed to the normal as instructed by the VC during
Freshmen orientation. When I observed as the President, the drastic increment, when pressure was mounted on me through calls and various quarters accusing me that I have collected #10m
from the management to keep quiet. My life was at stake. I had no other option than to announce to students to suspend payment of school fees since VC was not around'. Negroid Haven could confirm from independent sources that Senate President Comr. Aleka Moses is under the influence from some power centres in the University management who are not comfortable with Ekpo Tete's challenging the decision of management to increase school charges, some say Tete is being victimised for inciting students against the school authority. On the issue of suspension, Comr. Ekpo Tete has explained that, 'the suspension does not hold water because I put a call across to the Dean of Students this morning and he told me that they can’t suspend someone whose tenure is over. My tenure was over on the 24th of March. Why we remain in office was because management has failed to fulfill their
part by not releasing the approved funds for executives to execute their programmes'. This information was made available to NUCJ; and has been corroborated by Comr. Ededet Ikpeme, a senator representing Off Campus Constituency who stated that, 'The Senate President and the Scribe are both lying. There was no motion moved for the suspension of the President. If they say I am lying, let them mention the name of the person who moved such motion'. Albeit, this denial was further negated by the Senator representing
Hall Four Constituency, Akpan Michael.
Meanwhile, in a brief chat with members of NUCJ, the Dean of Students' Affairs has denied the university's management involvement in the ongoing crisis. As at yesterday, Negroid Haven could reliably confirm that there were attempts by some parties involved in the ongoing saga to resolve the situation.
Efio-Ita Nyok
Is a Blogger & the Editor of Negroid Haven
