PRESS BRIEFING BY THE CHANCELLOR AND CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES TANSIAN UNIVERSITY, VERY REV. FR. PROF. EDWIN S.C. OBIORAH, JSD, SAN, ON THE SUSTAINED ADMINISTRATIVE STABILITY OF TANSIAN UNIVERSITY AND REBUTTAL OF THE PURPORTED NUC DISSOLUTION RUMOURS.

Very Rev Fr. (Prof.) Edwin Obiorah
                        SAN

Gentlemen of the press, members of the academic community, and distinguished stakeholders of Tansian University.

 I address you today in my statutory capacity as the lawful, valid, and fully subsisting Chancellor and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of this great institution.

We have been drawn to malicious, speculative, and completely unfounded narratives circulating in sections of the media regarding a "purported decision" by the National Universities Commission (NUC) to dissolve the Governing Council and Boards of Tansian University.

Let me state categorically, clearly, and without an iota of ambiguity: The regulatory organs, Governing Council, and Board of Trustees of Tansian University remain fully intact, completely functional, and legally unassailable. No such directive has been issued by the NUC.

 The university management is fully aware that these sensational reports are the handiwork of external detractors, disgruntled elements, and entities with undisclosed, selfish interests attempting to undermine the hard-earned stability and leadership of our institution.

Institutional Validity: The leadership architecture of Tansian University operates under rigid legal frameworks and institutional guidelines backed by the appropriate regulatory bodies. 

 The NUC is a regulatory body established by law to ensure academic quality, standards, and accreditation; it is not a court of law, a commercial proprietor, or an equity holder in private educational institutions. 

The National Universities Commission Act vests the Commission with powers to lay down minimum academic standards, accredit programmes, and advise the Federal Government on the establishment and financial needs of universities. Nowhere within the NUC Act is the Commission granted the statutory power to unilaterally dissolve, suspend, or reconstitute the Governing Council or Board of Trustees of a privately funded university.

Autonomy Guaranteed by the Education Act: Under the Education (National Minimum Standards and Establishment of Institutions) Act (Cap E3, LFN 2004), the power to manage, govern, and control the internal administrative organs of a private university resides strictly with its designated proprietors, Board of Trustees, and Council as set out in the university’s approved Law and Charter. 

The NUC’s regulatory intervention over private universities is bounded by academic compliance, not corporate expropriation.

Privatization of Property and the 1999 Constitution: A private university is a corporate entity registered under the relevant laws of Nigeria (including the Companies and Allied Matters Act). The constitution of its Governing Council is a matter of private law and internal corporate governance. Any unilateral dissolution of a private university's council by a regulatory body constitutes a direct infringement on the Right to Own Property and the Right to Fair Hearing guaranteed under Sections 43 and 36 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).

Judicial Precedents on Regulatory Arbitrariness: Nigerian jurisprudence is clear that statutory regulators cannot exercise powers not expressly granted to them by their enabling legislation. The management relies firmly on established supreme court precedents affirming that an administrative body cannot override the domestic autonomy of a private institution or determine internal ownership disputes without a definitive order from a competent court of law.

NUC is strictly collaborative and compliant with the laws governing private tertiary education in Nigeria. The NUC is a regulatory body operating under the rule of law; it does not arbitrarily dissolve the governing structures of private universities over external, baseless agitations.

Malicious Distortions: The public is strongly urged to disregard the deliberate character assassination, distortions, and fake news intended to trigger panic among our students, parents, and partners.

Current Activities and Unbroken Academic Calendar: While the purveyors of falsehood continue their futile distractions, the Management of Tansian University has remained focused on its core mandate: academic excellence, moral rectitude, and infrastructural expansion.

Academic Progress: We are fully operating across our campuses at Umunya and Oba, ensuring that lectures, research, and administrative tasks proceed seamlessly without a single day of disruption.

Admissions Ongoing: The university has successfully opened its gates for the 2026/2027 academic session. Applications for Post-UTME and Direct Entry are being processed smoothly, showing the immense confidence the public still holds in our institution.

Legal Protections: As a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), I assure all stakeholders that our legal team has taken appropriate actions to protect the institution’s sanctity from unlawful interference or defamatory publications.

A Call to the Public and Stakeholders of Tansian University was built on a vision of principled leadership and dedicated service. We will not allow the legacy of our foundation to be stained by desperate narratives. The management remains strong, united, and completely in control.

We urge parents, guardians, students, and the host communities to completely disregard these fake publications. 

We remain fully committed to nurturing the next generation of Nigerian leaders under our undisputed and focused stewardship.

Thank you, and God bless you all.

Signed:Very Rev. Fr. Prof. Edwin S.C. Obiorah, JSD, (SAN).