Acting VC Arinze-Umobi invited as reps probes financial irregularity in UNIZIK

The house of representatives committee on university education has invited Carol Arinze-Umobi to answer for alleged financial irregularities relating to some university projects.

Arinze-Umobi is the acting vice chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK) in Awka, Anambra.

In a statement on Wednesday, Abubakar Fulata, the chairman of the reps committee on university education, said the acting VC was invited based on observations the lawmakers made during a recent visit to UNIZIK.

NAN reports that Fulata clarified that the invitation is not a case of “witch-hunt” against the VC.

The committee was said to have observed that the data presented in the documents submitted by the VC did not align with the reality of actual projects executed.

Fulata wondered how the management of the university would claim to have generated N1.5 billion in a preceding year but said it spent about N3 billion from the same IGR.

He said spending money without appropriation by the parliament was a “gross violation of the constitution”.

The lawmaker said the presentation of “manipulated figures undermines the integrity of the entire management team of the varsity”.

He revealed that another area of concern is the 100 percent payment for a project that was less than 40 percent completed by the school management.

Fulata stated that such operational patterns were “against financial regulations”.

The committee said the oversight visit became necessary due to the demands by the public to investigate the discrepancies.

Carol Arinze-Umobi is a successor of Charles Esimone, UNIZIK’s former VC who completed his tenure in June 2024.