A group of 109 professors and members of the senate of the University of Abuja (UNIABUJA), have written to President Bola Tinubu, defending the process that led to the appointment of Aisha Maikudi, a law professor, as the university’s vice-chancellor.
The letter to President Tinubu was routed through the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, and the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Abdullahi Ribadu.
The group of university staff, comprising professors, deans of faculties and of students’ affairs, heads of departments and programmes, directors of academic centres and units, as well as elected representatives of faculties, disclaimed the allegations that the appointment process was fraught with irregularities.
The letter reads in part: “We hereby strongly reaffirm our position: that the selection process leading to the appointment of Professor Aisha Sani Maikudi as vice-chancellor University of Abuja, followed all the extant laws and statutes, was conducted transparently, fairly, impartially and in accordance with laid down procedures and due process.
“Accordingly, Your Excellency the visitor, should ignore all information and reports to the contrary as the antics of mischief makers, mindless naysayers, and selfish and self-seeking individuals and groups who do not mean well for the university, the education system and your government.”
Appointment and Controversy
Their letter came a day after another group of university professors led by Kasim Waziri, a professor of law, protested at the education ministry, calling for a review of the process that led to the appointment of Ms Maikudi.
Ms Maikudi’s appointment out of over 80 applicants was announced by the university council on 31 December. But the selection process leading to her appointment was contested by some members of the university, including some members of the university senate who allege irregularities in the selection process.
The council has defended the process, stating that all laws and procedures outlined in the University of Abuja Act and the Universities Miscellaneous Act were duly followed.
The council, in a statement signed by the Acting Registrar and Secretary to the council, Islamiyat Adulrahim, said “Contrary to the insinuations in some quarters, the Council in making the appointment announced on 31 December 2024, strictly complied with the relevant provisions of the two main acts guiding the appointment of vice-chancellors of the University, namely, the University of Abuja Act and the Universities (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Amendment) Act 2003, NO 1 of 2007.”
…defends process
In their letter to Mr Tinubu, the university staff described as baseless the allegations that laws were circumvented in the selection process and that Ms Maikudi was imposed by the council.
They explained that after inviting applicants to apply through an advertisement, a search team was also empaneled to bring more applicants “in keeping with the university tradition and the extant laws.”
According to them, the council made a shortlist of 40 candidates out of 87 total applicants, set the criteria for screening the applicants, and handed it over to the Joint Council and Senate Selection Board (JCSSB). The board reviewed the candidates’ applications, rated them and invited 10 for interview.
“At the end of its assignment, the JCSSB submitted a shortlist of the best three candidates to the council, which had no difficulty in appointing the candidate who emerged tops, Professor Aisha Sani Maikudi, as the new vice chancellor,” they wrote in the letter.
“In all this, there was no aspect of the law, procedures or requirements that was neglected, bent or violated. We further make bold to state that the vice chancellor selection process was done transparently and fairly, hence its outcome is completely credible, in spite of spirited attempts by vested interests, at every stage, to subvert, truncate or impeach it.”
Accusations
The group accused Ralph Akinfeleye, a professor and a federal government representative in the council, along with professors Sani Mashi, Kasim Waziri and Rosemary Udeozor, of campaigning to ensure Ms Maikudi’s disqualification and pushed narratives that the selection process was flawed after she wasn’t disqualified.
“Her position as acting vice chancellor, her gender and even her relatively young age (which ordinarily should be her strong points) were all cited as handicaps…There was even an attempt to use a non-existent rule against her, that a candidate for the position of vice chancellor must have been a professor for 10 years. This requirement, which is neither stipulated in the Acts nor supported by any law, is inconsistent with precedent and prevailing practices in many universities. It is a deliberate attempt to disqualify her on technical grounds,” the letter stated.
They said Prof Mashi was among the 10 candidates invited for interview but declined to honour the invitation “based on some tendentious reasons.”
They added that Waziri and Udeozor, both professors, who were elected to represent the Senate on JCSSB staged a walk-out at the very first meeting of the board, claiming that council had taken over the role of the board.
The letter added: “Prior to then they had forwarded a complaint to the council. Basically, their grouse was that JCSSB, not council, is the body vested with the powers to shortlist applicants and set criteria for screening them. Council sought legal advice, which was to the effect that council, not the JCSSB, actually has such powers.”
They explained that the senate replaced Prof Waziri with Stephen Garba, another professor, when reconciliation failed.
