Hatchet job by criminal elements — DUFUHS Council, management fire back at crisis rumours
By Amarachi Ehia, Abakaliki
The leadership of David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences, Uburu (DUFUHS), has strongly refuted reports of an internal crisis, describing the allegations as a calculated smear campaign aimed at destabilising one of Nigeria’s fastest-growing medical institutions.
The officials issued the rebuttal on Wednesday while reacting to an online report alleging a hijack of the university’s leadership. Speaking at the institution’s premises in Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, they reaffirmed unity, stability, and effective governance within the system.
In a firm response, Chairman of the Governing Council and Pro-Chancellor, Barr. Abdur-Raheem Adebayo, dismissed claims that he had been sidelined, branding the narrative as false, malicious, and driven by “frustrated elements” bent on undermining the university’s rising profile.
“This is a hatchet job by criminals who are not noble and are bent on destabilising the university,” he declared, stressing that there is no rift within the governing council or between the council and management.
He described DUFUHS as a thriving institution with state-of-the-art infrastructure, a serene academic environment, and over seventeen medical programmes attracting students from across Nigeria.
According to him, the university enjoys a high level of stability, with staff and students operating in a peaceful and productive atmosphere.
Reaffirming his position, the Pro-Chancellor said he has no grievances with any individual or group within the university system. “Nobody has sidelined me, and nobody can. We work here as brothers and sisters with a shared vision,” he said.
Corroborating his stance, a member of the governing council described the allegations as “very malicious, slanderous, and unreasonable,” insisting that council members are too experienced to be manipulated or intimidated.
“To suggest that this council has been hijacked is completely false. If that were the case, we would not be here,” the council member said, emphasizing that due process and institutional integrity remain intact.
Also speaking, a representative of the Federal Ministry of Education, Paul Ogbe, dismissed the claims as unfounded and aligned with the position of the Pro-Chancellor and the governing council.
On his part, the Vice-Chancellor, Jesse Uneke, described the controversy as a distraction that often accompanies progress, maintaining that the university’s achievements speak for themselves.
“We are in session for our statutory council meeting. Anyone suggesting the council is not functioning is being unnecessarily malicious,” he said.
He pointed to ongoing infrastructural development across the campus as clear evidence of effective governance and supervision, adding that both academic and administrative activities remain stable and efficient.
The university leadership unanimously maintained that there is no crisis, no division, and no cause for alarm, reiterating their commitment to advancing the institution in line with its mandate as a federal centre of excellence in health sciences.
They urged the public to disregard what they described as deliberate misinformation, insisting that the university remains focused, united, and firmly on a path of sustained growth.
