Registrar of Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron in Akwa Ibom State, Dr. Mkpandiok Mkpandiok, has distanced himself from recent protests by the host communities over the appointment of non-indigenes as substantive Rector, as well as the constitution of a six-man Interim Management Committee (IMC) to run the institution.
In a statement in Uyo, Dr. Mkpandiok who is also a former acting Rector of the Academy frowned at his name being associated with series of protests over the appointments.
The statement was issued by the academy’s Media Consultant; Mr. Edet Okpo.
In the statement, it was stressed that the Registrar is well known within and outside the community for his decorum and calm disposition to such issues to get involved in such things. Okpo said: “Dr. Mkpandiok can never contemplate, encourage, support or mobilise anybody or groups to stand in the way of government directives as in the case of the duly-constituted Interim Management Committee.
“Therefore, it will be a clear case of blackmail for anybody or group to insinuate or try to associate him with the Wednesday protest. Those who initiated the protest did not hide their identities.
“And I, hereby, wish to state categorically that Mkpandiok had nothing directly or indirectly to do with the protest or with the groups that staged it. He also did not have any pre-knowledge or was at any time privy to discussions, meetings, preparations or processes that culminated in the protest.
“Accordingly, he has disassociated himself from the protesters and the dynamics of the protest and called for understanding and calm amongst the youth groups, stakeholders and indeed the entire Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron, host communities. “As a matter of fact, he was publicly insulted and denied access into the premises of the Academy by the protesters.”
Okpo called on stakeholders, elders, youths, individuals, groups and organisations expressing their dismay, to desist from any act capable of intimidating, obstructing or circumscribing the IMC or any other machinery of progress in the Academy.
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