Akwa Ibom Sets Up Committee To Investigate Expulsion Of Student Who Allegedly Insulted Governor On Facebook

The Akwa Ibom state government has inaugurated a five-man
committee to investigate the case of a student expelled by the
state-owned university in Ikot Akpaden.

The student, Iniobong Ekpo, was in his final year at the
Department of Agricultural Engineering when he was expelled for
publishing a “derogatory and defamatory article” in 2019 on
Facebook against the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom Emmanuel.

Ekpo with Matriculation Number, AK15/ENG/AEE/013, was expelled
on April 9, 2021, in a letter signed by John Udo, the Registrar and
the Secretary to the Senate, titled, “Expulsion for Gross
Misconduct.”

“At its 69th meeting held on Wednesday, March 31, the Senate of
the university deliberated on the report from the Students
Disciplinary Committee. You will recall that you had appeared
before the said committee on a case of publication of derogatory
and defamatory article on Facebook platform about the Executive
Governor of Akwa Ibom State and Visitor to the university.

“This act constitutes a breach of the Matriculation Oath and
violation of the university rules and regulations enshrined in the
student information handbook. You are hereby expelled from the
university for this act of gross misconduct which constitutes a
breach of the Matriculation Oath,” the Registrar said in the
letter.

However, in documents seen, Ekpo gave the varsity seven days to
restore his studentship or face legal actions.

In the documents dated June 18, 2021, and issued by Inibehe
Effiong, his lawyer, Ekpo also demanded N20 million from the
varsity as general damages for “the breach of his fundamental
rights.”

Reacting in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary,
Ekerete Udoh, Governor Udom said he was not aware of the
administrative action undertaken by the university.

“We have read various reports mainly on the social media space
concerning the administrative sanction said to have been taken by
the Management of the Akwa Ibom State University (AKSU) against one
of its students, Iniobong Ekpo, leading to his expulsion from the
University.

“We have equally followed the media feeding frenzy by the usual
motely crowd of political jobbers and inveterate rabble rousers who
have maliciously tried to link the action taken by the university
authority to the Visitor of the University, His Excellency,
Governor Udom Emmanuel.

“We wish to state here emphatically that Governor Emmanuel, a
known apostle of freedom of expression, was and is still not aware
of this purely administrative action reportedly undertaken by the
university.

“He has accordingly, directed the constitution of a Panel
comprising five members, to review the case and submit its report
immediately. The Panel is to be headed by the Honourable
Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Idongesit Etiebet.”

The Akwa Ibom state government has inaugurated a five-man
committee to investigate the case of a student expelled by the
state-owned university in Ikot Akpaden.

The student, Iniobong Ekpo, was in his final year at the
Department of Agricultural Engineering when he was expelled for
publishing a “derogatory and defamatory article” in 2019 on
Facebook against the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom Emmanuel.

Ekpo with Matriculation Number, AK15/ENG/AEE/013, was expelled
on April 9, 2021, in a letter signed by John Udo, the Registrar and
the Secretary to the Senate, titled, “Expulsion for Gross
Misconduct.”

“At its 69th meeting held on Wednesday, March 31, the Senate of
the university deliberated on the report from the Students
Disciplinary Committee. You will recall that you had appeared
before the said committee on a case of publication of derogatory
and defamatory article on Facebook platform about the Executive
Governor of Akwa Ibom State and Visitor to the university.

“This act constitutes a breach of the Matriculation Oath and
violation of the university rules and regulations enshrined in the
student information handbook. You are hereby expelled from the
university for this act of gross misconduct which constitutes a
breach of the Matriculation Oath,” the Registrar said in the
letter.

However, in documents seen, Ekpo gave the varsity seven days to
restore his studentship or face legal actions.

In the documents dated June 18, 2021, and issued by Inibehe
Effiong, his lawyer, Ekpo also demanded N20 million from the
varsity as general damages for “the breach of his fundamental
rights.”

Reacting in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary,
Ekerete Udoh, Governor Udom said he was not aware of the
administrative action undertaken by the university.

“We have read various reports mainly on the social media space
concerning the administrative sanction said to have been taken by
the Management of the Akwa Ibom State University (AKSU) against one
of its students, Iniobong Ekpo, leading to his expulsion from the
University.

“We have equally followed the media feeding frenzy by the usual
motely crowd of political jobbers and inveterate rabble rousers who
have maliciously tried to link the action taken by the university
authority to the Visitor of the University, His Excellency,
Governor Udom Emmanuel.

“We wish to state here emphatically that Governor Emmanuel, a
known apostle of freedom of expression, was and is still not aware
of this purely administrative action reportedly undertaken by the
university.

“He has accordingly, directed the constitution of a Panel
comprising five members, to review the case and submit its report
immediately. The Panel is to be headed by the Honourable
Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Idongesit Etiebet.”