The Governing Council of the Federal College of Education, Obudu, Cross River State, has suspended its Provost, Dr. Ugbaha Utubaku, over allegations of maladministration, gross misconduct, and abuse of office.
The suspension, conveyed in a letter signed by the Registrar and Secretary to the Council, Evans Iyenya, followed multiple petitions from the college’s Deans, staff unions, and the Director of Procurement. The letter, referenced FCE/OB/REG/CT-A/Vol.II/273 and titled “Letter of Suspension and General Inefficiency,” directed Utubaku to proceed on a three-month suspension effective October 14, 2025, pending the conclusion of investigations.
The petitions accused the Provost of unlawfully auctioning the college’s unserviceable vehicles to associates and relatives without due process, in violation of the White Paper on the report of the federal visiting panel to the institution between 2011 and 2015.
Council sources also cited complaints of insensitivity to staff welfare, high-handedness, and a lack of transparency in the management of college affairs.
Meanwhile, the Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU) has reportedly given Utubaku a deadline of October 14, 2025, to return the auctioned vehicles or face possible industrial action.
The Council said the decision was taken to ensure accountability and restore confidence in the institution’s leadership, stressing that it acted in the overall interest of the college community.