The BMO, in a statement signed by its Chairman, Niyi Akinsiju, and Secretary, Cassidy Madueke, warned the governor against politicising the academia, describing it as a bastion of integrity and excellence.
“We believe it was irresponsible for the Governor to accuse the current administration of appointing those he described as compromised academics as vice-chancellors.
“It smacks of an attempt to denigrate the Nigerian academic community even at a time the Buhari administration has been appointing Vice-Chancellors of state universities as electoral officers.
“But at no time has any APC member accused Governor Wike or his administration of appointing compromised academics as Vice Chancellors into State Universities and other tertiary institutions in the state,” the statement said.
BMO expressed concern that the Rivers State Governor has been using every available opportunity to denigrate President Muhammadu Buhari and his administration in the name of politics.
“It is indeed a thing of concern that Wike has been resorting to false narratives to cast the Buhari administration in bad light
“But we want to remind the Governor that it was in the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) years that Vice Chancellors were appointed as returning officers and the main opposition party never claimed that they were appointed to pave way for them to rig elections for the then ruling party.
“The decision to use academics in the universities to assist the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was taken by the then Chairman Professor Attahiru Jega who strived to strengthen the electoral process to ensure transparency, accountability and credible election,” the statement added.
BMO urged Mr Wike to consider national interest and the sanctity of institutions before making frivolous allegations.
