By Nwafor Sunday & Ike Uche
The suspended Dean of the Faculty of Law, University of Calabar, Prof. Cyril Ndifon, has denied allegations against him, noting that he is blameless.Prof. Ndifon was accused of sexually harassing his female students, which led to protests organized by the year one students of the faculty.
Ndifon who broke his silence weeks after he was accused of sexually molesting his faculty students, gave reasons he was suspended.
In a statement he personally signed and sent to Vanguard on Monday, Prof Ndifon noted that some of his colleagues were angry over his position, noting that they are doing everything possible to remove him.
“The conspiracy to remove me not only as Dean of the Faculty of law, but also as an academic staff of the University is predicated and informed by the following reasons: “These are grievances by some academic staff in the Faculty of Law who are over-ambitious to become the Dean by hook or crook but unable to win any elections for that purpose, those who were asked to return the Faculty’s vehicles in their custody as well as those who complained that they were not being carried along”, part of the statement read.
Prof. Ndifon argued that all the allegations leveled against him were false, noting that he is blameless.
“My name, family and community have been dragged through the mud. This I must clear. I have already taken some steps to clear my name and integrity at the appropriate quarters. I state very categorically that I am blameless. I am proud of what I have achieved and will not allow my hard earned name to be rubbished”, he said.
Arguing that the protests by year one female students were stage-managed, Prof Ndifon said: “This was organized or allowed by the Vice Chancellor in cahoots with her kinsman, the LAWSAN President. This made it easy for them ( the protesters) to have access to the Vice Chancellor’s block, an impossible task for any protesters in the regime of Prof. Florence Obi. Among the protesters was the Vice Chancellor’s niece, who lives in the same house with her.
“The entire episode (a 5 minutes show) was to embarrass my person and justify her subsequent actions of removing me from office and duties. It is curious that rather than the Vice Chancellor, the Deputy Vice Chancellor and some of my colleagues being surprised by the demonstration they were seen smiling and recording (videoing) the incident.