By Nasir Isa
The East Carolina University has denied Governor Abdullahi Ganduje’s request for additional information on its staff suspected to be Dr Mbarika, the man at the center of the governor’s fake professorial appointment scandal.
The university, however, expressed regret for the confusion caused by its letter on the purported appointment of Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje as a visiting professor at the university.
In a letter dated December 8, 2020, the Interim Provost and Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs of ECU, Mr B. Grant Hayes, wrote, “I also regret that this situation has caused any embarrassment, as that was not the intention of East Carolina University, nor was it the reason for my letter.”
In a press statement earlier today, the State Government had claimed that the university’s apology letter recognized the governor’s academic achievements saying, “you demonstrate appropriate credentials generally held by those appointed to faculty positions.”
The letter, seen by Sahelian Times, however, didn’t make that categorical statement. “I am in receipt of your correspondence dated December 7, 2020. Please be advised that I recognize your communication provides a summary of your educational accomplishments and you demonstrate appropriate credentials generally held by those appointed to faculty positions”, the letter said.
In an apparent response to the government’s request for punitive action against Mr. Victor Mbarika, the faculty staff that signed the November 30, 2020 appointment letter, the university said, “please be advised that Chapter 126 of the North Carolina General Statues mandates that personnel information of ECU employees remains confidential so that I am unable to the additional request for information made by your correspondence.”
The government, in a press statement on Sunday, demanded an apology from the university and requested the university to penalize Dr. Mbarika.
