· Says blackmailers out to smear his reputation

· Highlights key achievements

The Vice-Chancellor of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike (MOUAU), Prof. Maduebibisi Ofo Iwe, in this interview, responds to allegations of financial misconduct, including alleged N5 billion illegal spending, N578 million unremitted Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), and other accusations which he describes as a coordinated smear campaign. He also highlights some of the key achievements of his administration.

By Steve Oko

With barely one month to the end of your tenure, an online report alleged plans by your administration to spend N252 million on three vehicles for two principal officers and the Pro-Chancellor. How correct is this?

That allegation is pure blackmail designed to smear my reputation. Spending public funds in a university follows strict procedures. No one wakes up and spends money without due process. Doing so amounts to financial misconduct with serious consequences.

The figure mentioned was captured in the university’s 2025 budget. Government issues us an envelope and, based on that, we articulate the needs of the university. It is also important to note that we have not received our 2024 appropriation. The 2025 budget was prepared in 2024, using prevailing market prices at the time. After budget articulation, the document goes through the Joint Committee on Appropriation of the Ministry of Agriculture, where our capital expenditure is vetted. Thereafter, it passes through internal procurement processes, beginning with the University Procurement Planning Committee (UPPC), which evaluates quotations submitted by contractors. From there, it proceeds to the University Tenders Board (UTB). If the cost exceeds the university’s approval threshold, it is forwarded to the Ministerial Tenders Board. These are layered checks and balances. Procurement is neither a one-day affair nor a one-man decision.

The 2025 budget passed through all relevant authorities. Spending can only occur when approved funds are released. Those behind the publication clearly lack understanding of public procurement processes.

Another report claimed that the Auditor-General accused the university of illegally spending N5 billion and failing to remit N578 million IGR between 2021 and 2022. What is your response?

Ordinarily, such matters should be addressed by the Governing Council. However, for clarity, I will respond briefly. My administration began in March 2021, when the world was still grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic. University activities were minimal. It is difficult to imagine how this institution could have generated N578 million IGR in 2021. In 2022, public universities were shut down for about eight months due to industrial action. There was no teaching, farming, or production. So, what was the source of that IGR? The Committee of Vice-Chancellors of Nigerian Universities has consistently argued that student charges should not be classified as IGR because they are tied to specific services. Requiring universities to remit part of such charges undermines this position. I believe these allegations were stitched together from unrelated records to falsely implicate my administration. Many of the issues mentioned did not occur under my leadership. The intention is clearly to incite the public against the university and tarnish my image.

What do you think is the motive behind these publications?

I honestly do not know. In the past five years, we have served this university diligently and transparently. We worked hard to improve staff and student conduct and to rebuild interpersonal relationships. There was a time the university struggled to attract partnerships, but today, we are open to the world. This year, one of our students secured a fully funded scholarship to China. Our staff members now publish in high-impact journals and attract major research grants due to the enabling environment we created. Under our administration, the Energizing Education Project (EEP) delivered a functional solar plant, giving MOUAU 24-hour power supply—a major milestone. Researchers now work round the clock in our laboratories. No academic programme was lost under my watch; instead, we introduced new and relevant courses such as Food Engineering, Embedded Artificial Intelligence, and Mechatronics. Our laboratories are well equipped. Recently, the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) commended the university, noting that some of our equipments—such as the amino acid analyzer—are not available in any other university in the South-East.