Unease Tension In University of Abuja Over an Alleged Plot to Impose Acting Vice Chancellor After Immediate Past VC

The University of Abuja (UniAbuja) might soon witness an industrial crisis over an alleged plot by the Governing Council to impose the Acting Vice Chancellor, Prof. Aisha Sani Maikudi, as substantive vice chancellor.

Immediate past VC, Prof. Abdulrasheeed Na’Allah, was said to had facilitated the emergence of Prof. Aisha Maikudi, daughter of former council chairman, Alhaji Sani Maikudi, as acting VC in the twilight of his tenure, as a reward to the former council chairman who allegedly bent several rules to enable him emerge five years ago.

Some officials of the school alleged that the Chairman of the Governing Council, Air Vice-Marshal Saddiq Ismail Kaita (retd), in the recent vacancy advertisement for post of VC published in a national daily, lowered the criteria for VC appointment to favour the acting VC.

The officials said the criteria listed was contrary to the University establishment law and guidelines, as provided by the National Universities Commission (NUC) for the appointment of a VC.

They further alleged that the Governing Council chairman, who is obviously playing a Fulani script in the appointment process, seems to be enjoying the support of the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, a Fulani from Adamawa State.

The UniAbuja spokesman, Dr. Habib Yakoob, refuted the claims of imminent crisis. “There is no crisis of succession for the position of UniAbuja VC. The advert for the position of VC was placed on August 26th 2024, and just expired last week.

“It means that applications from candidates have not even been sorted out. At this point, only the Selection and Search Committees (from Council, Senate and Congregation) were constituted. Nothing else has been done. So any suggestion of imposition of or preference for a particular candidate for VC is purely speculative, premature, and mischievous.

“When the Council delves into the real business of appointing the substantive VC, because it is made up of credible and reputable individuals, and I am sure they will be very transparent in the process.”

But one of the officials told Daily Sun that there was a stormy Council session last Friday when the Council chairman was allegedly bending the rules to favour his preferred candidate, the acting VC.

The official said: “There was a stormy session last Friday over an attempt by the chairman of the Governing Council and a few others to impose on the school, the current acting VC who was not qualified by any standards to apply in the first instance.

“The immediate past VC orchestrated this problem because of his personal interest. He long wanted her to succeed him, hence he fast-forwarded her promotion to the position of deputy vice chancellor  in 2022 so she could be considered for the position of VC.

“Prof. Maikudi became a professor in 2022, and was appointed DVC immediately to the surprise of many people. But some of us know that the speed was for a reason. Her father who hails from Katsina was instrumental to the emergence of Prof. Na’ Allah as VC against all odds five years ago, and Prof. Na’Allah on the request of her father channeled the reward to the daughter.

“The bigger picture is that when the Governing Council advertised the vacancy for the post of VC recently, all the standards were lowered to pave the way for the Acting VC who is barely two years as professor to emerge as VC, just the way the standards were allegedly lowered for Prof. Na’ Allah too, as only five years post professorial experience was required then instead of 10 years as required.

“The beginning of manipulation was the cause of a heated and crisis-ridden Council meeting last Friday in Abuja where most of the Council members objected to the open support of the Chairman/Pro Chancellor’s support for the Acting VC who is not qualified, according to NUC’s guidelines on VC’s qualification.

“There are candidates/applicants who have more than 23 year’s post professorial experience. Sadly, the Minister of Education, Prof. Mamman, a Fulani from Adamawa is said to be part of the deal to impose unqualified VC on UniAbuja.”

Sylvester Ugoh, ASUU chairman, UniAbuja chapter, said he was unaware of the crisis in the Council over the selection process.

“I am not a member of the Council, hence I don’t have information on what might have transpired in their meeting regarding the VC selection process. For that reason, I choose to remain silent on the matter.

“However, regarding the post-professorial experience as criteria for the post of VC, I know that it’s a conventional decision that someone with more years of experience in university management is hired for the job. Nevertheless, I can’t confirm if it’s clearly stated in the UniAbuja law or any other guideline that someone must have a certain number of years as a professor to stand qualified for the office of VC. “

Meanwhile, the Medical and Dental Consultants Association (MDCAN) and the Unizik Medics Alumni Association (UMAA), have also rejected the selection process for a new Vice Chancellor for Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, otherwise known as UNIZIK.

Both Associations claimed the process violated sections of the University establishment Act, and never provided equal opportunity for all, but gave some advantages to some people.

Prof. Evaristus Afiadigwe, national president, and Dr. Richard Egeonu, national secretary of UMAA, respectively, drew the attention of the Pro-Chancellor and the Chairman of Governing Council, Greg Mbadiwe, to the challenge, demanding urgent action to avoid an unnecessary industrial crisis.

The UMAA officials said they have identified significant legal and procedural discrepancies in the recent advertisement for the position of VC that warrant immediate attention and action.

They said: “The advertisement contravene multiple provisions of the UNIZIK Act 1992 and its subsequent amendments, specifically regarding the proper procedure for advertising the Vice-Chancellor position. Notably, the Council is mandated to specify the qualities of candidates, but instead erroneously focuses on minimum skills and personal achievements, which are not supported by law.

“The stipulation of possessing a PhD, along with mandatory personal achievements, raise concerns about the exclusionary nature of the requirements, particularly towards clinical lecturers whose pathways differ. This approach could disenfranchise qualified candidates and undermine the diversity of leadership within the university.

“The advertisement also introduced undue preconditions, such as the necessity for candidates to have secured specific research funding, which is unprecedented and appears to skew the selection process toward a narrow field of applicants.”

Similarly, the MDCAN President, Prof. Mohammed Aminu Mohammed, in a statement, also registered the deep concerns of MDCAN regarding the exclusion of Medical and Dental lecturers in the criteria used in the recent advert for the selection process for the vacant office of VC of UNIZIK.

“This exclusion is not only unjust, but undermines the critical role that the Medical and Dental lecturers play in the academic and administrative leadership of the institution.

“Medical and Dental education is a vital part of the University’s mission to produce competent healthcare professionals, who contribute to national and global health systems and security. As such, it is imperative that Medical and Dental lecturers be given due representation in matters that concern the governance and future of the institution.

“The exclusion of Medical and Dental lecturers, many of whom are distinguished scholars and administrators with vast experience in both the academic and clinical fields, sends a message that their contributions to the University’s growth and development are undervalued. Such a move could lead to breakdown in academic collaboration, reduced morale among Medical and Dental lecturers, and ultimately affect the quality of Medical and Dental education at UNIZIK.”

He called on the Governing Council of the University to withdraw the earlier advert, and ensure that all academic disciplines, particularly the Medical and Dental lecturers, are well represented.