Professors/Senate Members from the University of Abuja (UniAbuja), on Tuesday, stormed the headquarters of Federal Ministry of Education in Abuja with petitions arising from the recent activities that culminated in the appointment of Prof. Aisha Sani Maikudi, as the substantive Vice Chancellor (VC) for the school....CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE➤
Prof. Maikudi was appointed Acting VC in July, 2024, by the immediate-past VC, Prof. Abdulrasheed Na’Allah, pending her ratification or otherwise by the Governing Council led by the AVC Saddiq Ismaila Kaita (rtd) following the laid down processes and regulations.…READ_FULL_ARTICLE
On 31st December, 2024, the Chairman announced the decision of the Council to appoint Prof. Maikudi, as the substantive VC, which did not go down well with some members of the University community who claimed that selection processes were flawed, hence their decision to also submit a petition to the Visitor of the University, President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, demanding that he cancel the processes that culminated in the appointment of Prof. Maikudi as the VC.
They demanded that the actions he took in the cases of Nnamdi Azikwe University (UNIZIK), and Federal University of Health Sciences, Otokpo, Benue State, respectively, (dissolution of the council and reversal of appointments) which faced similar challenges be replicated in UniAbuja so there can be industrial peace and harmony in the school.
Prof. Rosemary Udeozor, told journalists at the Ministry’s complex that the Governing Council Chairman, AVC Kaita (rtd), and few others were interpreting a script to appease some people, hence the flagrant violation of all the selection processes as clearly stated for the appointment of VC.
She said: “The VC told us that he was under pressure; that his hands are tied; that there was a superior order to obey; and that was the reason he bent the rules to favour his preferred candidate, Prof. Maikudi, who is unqualified at the first place.…READ_FULL_ARTICLE
“An advertorial was placed on national dailies for the vacancy of VC. The five years post-professorial experience was removed just to favour Prof. Maikudi whose scripts were allegedly being interpreted. But we are less concerned about some of these issues, but the process through which she was appointed.
“We tried all we could to make the council chairman understand the fact that there’s a process that must be followed which he wasn’t following, but he turned a deaf ear to all the alarms. These processes offer legitimacy to the actions.
“From all indications, the Council chairman was championing a reward for the past council chairman, Sani Maikudi, who was instrumental in the emergence of former VC, Prof. Abdulrasheed Na’Allah who also played a key role in the emergence of Prof. Maikudi, daughter of former council chairman (Sani Maikudi) as Acting Vice, and now substantive VC.”
The aggrieved academics, however, informed the Minister that UniAbuja was faced with the challenges due to a poorly composed Governing Council, stressing that six internal members were handpicked by the outgone VC (Prof. Na”Allah) and imposed on the University through questionable “elections” conducted during a local ASUU strike triggered by the VC’s disregard for laws and due process.
“But efforts to persuade the Governing Council Chairman to ensure proper elections for these members were ignored. As a result, the internal members now prioritize the interests of the outgone VC over those of the University.
“Notably, when constituting the Selection Team, the Council Chairman excluded the only academic among the external members, Prof. Ralph Akinfeleye, a distinguished Mass Communication scholar, and instead appointed a Federal Ministry of Education representative with no educational background (an ICT officer from the federal pool) and a businesswoman unrelated to education.
“This skewed composition has compromised quality assurance in education, creating a pathway to impose an unqualified Prof. Maikudi as the substantive one.”
The academics said they have lost total faith and confidence in the Governing Council led by AVC Kaita (rtd) as they have exhibited lack of integrity and competence, and inability to be fair and just in producing the best and most qualified VC for the University.
They, thus, appealed to the President, perhaps, through the Minster to take immediate corrective action to restore the integrity of the process by getting the Governing Council dissolved and re-constituted so that a fresh and free process of Vice Chancellorship appointment will be conducted.…READ_FULL_ARTICLE
They were, however, concerned that failure to address the concerns could have far-reaching consequences for the University and the higher education system in Nigeria as other Governing Councils might gladly emulate the ugly and unfortunate path taken by the UniAbuja Governing Council.
Responding to the development, Dr. Habib Yakoob, Acting Director, Information and University Relations, UniAbuja, said the concerns of the academics are unknown to the university community.
He said: “As far as UniAbuja is concerned, the process of appointing substantive VC has been concluded last year. Prof. Aisha Sani Maikudi, has since been appointed as VC by the Council through a free, fair and competitive process, and she has commenced the process of moving the University forward. ...CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE➤
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