Elections into the Student Union Government of MOUAU held on December 23, 2009 may have come and gone. But the furore it has thrown up is yet to settle. A group of yet-to-be identified persons has not only petitioned the Vice-Chancellor, alleging arbitrariness and manipulation of the process, they have also widely circulated their petition, which has overt and covert threats to the peace of the Campus.

In order to establish the facts and avert any possible crisis in the University as a result of the petition and allegation, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ikenna Onyido, has proactively set up a high-powered 6-man panel to investigate the allegation and issues raised in the petition.

Chairman of the Panel is the Ag. Head of Department, Soil Science and Agroclimatology, Dr. Damian O. Asawalam while the College Officer, CABFM, Mrs. N. E. Nnorom-Emecheta, is the Panel Secretary.

Other members of the Panel include: the Ag. Head of Department, Rural Sociology and Extension, Dr. O. O. Ekumankanma, Dr. Nkem Ogbonna of  Department of Maths/Statistics and Computer Science, Dr. C. O. Offor of the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Management and Mr. S Willie of Agronomy Department.

In constituting the Panel, the Vice-Chancellor said the University Management was giving members of the University community the opportunity to x-ray the issues raised on the conduct of the last Student Union Elections.

Prof. Onyido also said the Panel became necessary following his administration's stand on transparency, equity and fairness in attending to all aspects of operations in the University.

The Vice-Chancellor also expressed his belief that the Panel's assignment would aid his administration's resolve to install a culture of peaceful transition from one student leadership to another in the University, clear the air and reinforce the confidence already built into the conduct of students' politics.

It will also interact with the Dean of Students Affairs, Prof. M. O. Iwe, who, the Vice-Chancellor said, had submitted a detailed response to the issues raised in the petition, just as it will explore whether there is any linkage between those disqualified from contesting the election and the petition and its authors.

The Panel, which has 3 weeks from January 11, 2010 to submit its report, will among others, investigate all the allegations contained in the said petition and identify all the characters mentioned in it.

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