• Intrigues, trail appointment of 7th UNIABUJA VC
From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
For the better part of 2024, the University of Abuja (UNIABUJA), was faced with crises that shook its root and tested the establishment laws of the university.
Aside from minor crisis, there were major ones including prolonged battle between the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the school over alleged illegalities by the immediate past Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Abdulrasheed Na’Allah.
In May 2024, ASUU declared an indefinite strike to demand changes in the alleged illegalities particularly in areas of employment, promotion and others.
The branch chairman of ASUU, Dr. Sylvester Ugoh, pointed to the flawed process of hiring a new VC for the school; refusal of the then university administration to conduct elections into the offices of Deans of Faculties and the post of Provost of College of Health Sciences.
He said another reason for the strike was the issue of massive employment of staff without due process, which was in violation of the Act establishing the university, among others including the issue of promotion exercise.
The unceremonious exit of Prof. Na”Allah, on July 3, 2024, brought some momentary respite to the school. ASUU, afterwards, entered into negotiation and perhaps, secured a favourable agreement with acting VC, Prof. Aisha Sani Maikudi, and called off the strike.
But just as the crisis was about to end, the crisis of selecting a substantive VC reared its ugly head. That lasted for six months.
On December 31, 2024, Chairman, UNIABUJA Governing Council, AVC Saddiq Ismaila Kaita (rtd), announced the appointment of Prof. Maikudi as the seventh substantive vice-chancellor of the school. The announcement opened a new chapter in the fight that culminated in the appointment of a new VC.
The genesis
The crisis was allegedly orchestrated by the immediate-past VC, Prof. Na”Allah, who officials of the school claimed had planted and positioned his preferred candidate to succeed him.
ASUU members said they saw the VC selection crisis coming because the ex-VC laid the foundation for the emergence of his preferred candidate, Prof. Maikudi.
A top official of the school who is also a Senate member who pleaded anonymity told Daily Sun: “The story is pathetic. Prof. Aisha Sani Maikudi is the daughter of former council chairman, Sani Maikudi. Coming to criteria and qualifications, an applicant to the post of VC must have, at least, five years and above post-professorial experience, but never happened in the case of UNIABUJA. Maikudi was barely one year as a professor when she was made DVC and later acting VC. You could see the link.
“But in doing these, some dangerous precedents were set which might affect the credibility of the selection process in the future. Several rules and regulations, as well as procedures, were openly violated, and that was because a script was being interpreted.
“Each time we point out these violations, the council chairman’s response was always, ‘I am under pressure; my hands, mouth, legs are tied; there is a superior order to obey’. Is that enough reason to bend the rules?
Fallout from VC selection process
Perhaps, because of the violations of the selection processes, the journey for the selection became so tortuous with bickering, walkouts, suspicions, acrimony, fight, among others.
A few days after the appointment of Prof. Maikudi on December 31, 2024, some aggrieved members of the council insisted the appointment lacked legitimacy because the process was flawed, and that the council chairman and few others deliberately violated the laws that highlighted the processes of selecting a VC for an institution.
They, formally, took their complaints (petitions) to the President Bola Tinubu and Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, drawing their attention to the flagrant disregard for laws and procedures in the “purported” appointment of Prof. Maikudi as the VC of UNIABUJA.
The aggrieved alleged that aside the open violation of the regulations of the VC selection process, Prof. Maikudi was unqualified for the position and that could be the reason some rules were bent by the council chairman.
They highlighted areas where the council erred, calling for the cancellation of the process and that urgent intervention was required to salvage the system, thereby restoring the credibility and reputation of the system.
They, however, informed the minister that UNIABUJA was faced with the challenges due to a poorly composed governing council, alleing that six internal members were handpicked:
“But efforts to persuade the council chairman to ensure proper elections for these members were ignored. The internal members handpicked by the ex-VC prioritised the interests of the ex-VC over those of the university
“The council chairman excluded the only academic among the external members, Prof. Ralph Akinfeleye, a Mass Communications scholar and replaced him with 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 led to a compromised quality assurance in education, creating a pathway to impose an unqualified candidate as the substantive one.”
Way forward
The aggrieved academics said they have lost total faith and confidence in the governing council led by Kaita, stating that the council exhibited lack of integrity competence and inability to be fair and just in producing the best and most qualified VC for the university.
They asked Tinubu to take same actions he took in the cases of Nnamdi Azikwe University (UNIZIK) and Federal University of Health Sciences, Otokpo, Benue State, (dissolution of the council and reversal of appointments), which faced similar challenges so there could be industrial peace and harmony in the school.
Two of the aggrieved academics, Prof. Kasim Musa Waziri and Prof. Rosemary Udeozor, alleged that Kaita and few others were interpreting a script to appease some people, hence the unapologetic violation of all the selection processes as clearly stated for the appointment of VC:
“For instance, in an advertorial placed on national dailies for the vacancy for the post of VC, the five-year post-professorial experience was removed just to favour a candidate who was barely one year as professor when she was appointed acting VC.”
They appealed to the president to take immediate corrective action to restore the integrity of the process by getting the council dissolved and re-constituted so that a fresh and free process of vice chancellorship appointment would be conducted.
They were 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 emulate the ugly and unfortunate path taken by the UNIABUJA governing council.
UNIABUJA responds
Dr. Habib Yakoob, acting Director, Information and University Relations, UNIABUJA, 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.”
Mrs. Islamiyat F. Adulrahim, acting Registrar and Secretary to Council, maintained that the UNIABUJA Governing Council complied with the extant laws and laid down procedures and processes in the appointment of Prof. Maikudi, contrary to the insinuations in some quarters.
She said the council in making the appointment strictly complied with the relevant provisions of the two main acts guiding the appointment of VC for the university, namely, the UNIABUJA Act and the Universities (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Amendment) Act 2003, No 1 of 2007:
“The council is not unaware of complaints raised by some interested parties in the course of the transition process, which commenced as far back as March 2024 when the university initially advertised the position of VC.
“However, it is important to note that all such concerns and issues were considered and efforts made to resolve the issues amicably with the active involvement of major stakeholders in the university, including the Senate and the local branch of ASUU.
“That, perhaps, explained the wide and enthusiastic acceptance of the announcement of the new VC within and beyond the university community.
“Council appreciates the fact that in a contest of 87 applicants with only one winner expected to emerge, the losers must exhibit great sportsmanship and maturity to accept the outcome.
“This is necessary for the university to forge ahead and allow the new VC, who served in an acting capacity in the past six months to unfold and pursue her vision for the university in an atmosphere of inclusiveness and enduring corporate harmony.”