Fred Ezeh, Abuja
No fewer than 80 professors have officially indicated interest to replace outgoing Vice Chancellor of Federal University, Lokoja, Kogi State, Prof. Angela Freeman Miri, whose tenure will end February next year.
Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of the university, Senator Chris Adighije, informed journalists in Abuja, yesterday, that the selection process had commenced and that a new VC, would be announced by the first week of December.
“The tenure of the present VC will expire on February 21, 2021. We are in the process of selecting a successor, and in doing that we are insisting on due process. Applications closed on October 16, and over 80 professors submitted applications.
“We will soon start the process of shortlisting. A date has been fixed for that and a five-man committee is saddled with that responsibility. After that, we will go on to the main selection.
“There’s a selection board made up of two external members of the council, two members of the senate who are not members of the council, while the committee would be chaired by Chairman of Council. In total, there will be five members of the selection board. Our desire is to ensure that the new VC emerge by December 4. This will create room for smooth transition period because the current VC will be leaving by the middle of February, 2021. Being a Federal University, we received applications from across Nigeria who want to occupy the exalted office.”
He said the selection process for the new VC would be done in line with federal character principle.