From Stanley Uzoaru, Owerri
Imo Governor, Hope Uzodimma and his predecessor, Rochas Okorocha, have rekindled their brawl over who owns Eastern Palm University with the ex-governor challenging the change of name of the school and insisting it belongs to him.
Eastern Palm University is located at Ogboko, Ideato South Local Government Area.
The state government not only changed the name to Kingsley Ozumba Mbadiwe University but also named a new vice chancellor and instructed students and staff to resume for classes on July 5.
Okorocha in a statement by his media adviser, Sam Onwuemeodo, yesterday, faulted government’s decision saying the school was property of the Rochas Foundation and Uzodimma lacked the power to change its name through a resolution at a cabinet meeting. He said owing to constant harassment of students and invasion of the university by agents of the state government and court cases, Rochas Foundation ordered its temporary closure and asked students to leave, pending the determination of the cases in court.
He said Uzodimma knowing that the ownership of the school was a subject of litigation should have waited for the judgement of the court before rushing to change its name.
“We call on the general public to discard the recent announcement from the state government on the Eastern Palm University. The government has no right to change the name of the university and has no right to direct its activities or carry out any action on the university.”