Education
Why 43 UNIABUJA Professors Want Tinubu To Reverse VC’s Appointment
By Benjamin Abioye
43 professors at the University of Abuja have asked President Bola Tinubu to reverse the appointment of Prof. Aisha Maikudi as the institution’s vice-chancellor, citing serious irregularities in the selection process.
A group of 43 professors from the University of Abuja has strongly opposed the appointment of Prof. Aisha Maikudi as the university’s new vice-chancellor.
In a formal letter to President Bola Tinubu, they accused the university’s governing council of violating the institution’s laws to impose Maikudi, who they claim is unqualified for the role.
The professors are calling for the immediate dissolution of the current council, the annulment of their decision, and the formation of a new council to conduct a fair and transparent appointment process. They issued this demand in a petition dated January 2, 2025, which was forwarded to Tinubu through the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF). The professors warned that failing to act could set a damaging precedent for universities across the country. “Failure to address these concerns could have far-reaching consequences for the University and the higher education system in Nigeria as other Governing Councils will gladly emulate this ugly and unfortunate path taken by the University of Abuja Governing Council,” the petitioners said.
The petition, titled ‘Complaint regarding the manipulation of Vice-Chancellor appointment processes at the University of Abuja’, expresses the professors’ lack of confidence in the current council. They noted the irregularities, lack of due process, and favoritism involved in the selection process. “We feel compelled to bring to your attention our concerns regarding the gross irregularities, blatant disregard for due process, violations of relevant laws and regulations, favouritism, abuse of privileges, undue interference, and lack of fairness that marred the selection process for the Vice Chancellorship of the University of Abuja. These lapses culminated in the unfortunate declaration of Professor Aisha Sani Maikudi as the substantive Vice-Chancellor,” the professors wrote. They argued that these issues ultimately led to the controversial appointment of Prof. Maikudi, which they believe undermines the vision of President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and could pave the way for similar practices at other universities.
According to the petitioners, the governing council ignored key qualifications for the vice-chancellor position, such as the requirement of a minimum of 10 years of professorial experience. They pointed out that Prof. Maikudi has only two years of experience as a professor, and they criticized her for having weak academic credentials and little scholarly visibility. “We have lost total faith and confidence in the Governing Council as they have exhibited a lack of integrity and competence, and inability to be fair and just in producing the best and most qualified Vice Chancellor for the University,” they said. Furthermore, the professors expressed concern over the inclusion of a representative from the Federal Ministry of Education and a businesswoman on the council, arguing that they lack the necessary expertise in higher education governance.
The petition concludes by stressing that the professors have completely lost faith in the council’s integrity, accusing them of being unfair and incompetent in their decision-making. “We thus urge you 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. This will additionally go a long way in once again demonstrating to Nigerians the sincerity of Mr President’s Renewed Hope Agenda,” the petitioners urged. They warned that if the situation is not addressed, other university governing councils may follow the University of Abuja’s problematic example.
The petition was signed by notable professors such as Prof. Olanrewaju Aladeitan, Prof. Umaru Muhammed, Prof. Mabel Evwiohana, Prof. Jude Omeje, Prof. Effiok Bassey Uwatt, Prof. Ifeoma Echezona, and several others, highlighting the widespread dissatisfaction within the academic community.
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