The Akwa Ibom Unity Forum has issued a formal apology to Professor Nyaudo Ndaeyo, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Uyo, following false allegations of a cover-up in a certificate forgery case involving the then PDP candidate, Mr. Umo Eno.
At a press conference held on Tuesday in Uyo, the Forum’s Director-General, Mr. Uko Idiong, revealed that the organization had conducted a comprehensive review of the claims made in a petition submitted to the National Universities Commission (NUC) on May 10, 2023. The review found that the allegations against Professor Ndaeyo were baseless and unfounded.
“We deeply regret the distress, embarrassment, and harm caused to Professor Ndaeyo, the University of Uyo, and its stakeholders,” Idiong said, expressing the Forum’s remorse. “The petition, which accused the Vice Chancellor of a deliberate cover-up in a case involving forgery and manipulation of academic records, was based on misinformation.”
Idiong, joined by the Forum’s Secretary General, Aniedi Iwok, and Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Charles Ndanyongmong, emphasized that the group had retracted the petition in its entirety. “We apologize to the National Universities Commission, the Federal Ministry of Education, the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services, and the Committee of Vice Chancellors of Nigerian Universities, all of whom were drawn into this matter due to our false claims,” Idiong added.
The Forum took full responsibility for the confusion and distress caused and assured that future communications would be thoroughly vetted for accuracy. “We have learned a vital lesson from this experience and will ensure that all information shared going forward is based on irrefutable evidence,” Idiong concluded.
