Just In!!! Protest As Buhari Sacks 13 Universities' Vice Chancellors
The Coalition of Civil Society Groups (CCSG) has protested against the sack of Vice Chancellors of 12 Federal Universities.
A statement personally signed by the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu which was obtained by journalists on Saturday in Abuja said President Muahammadu Buhari, has approved the appointment of new Vice Chancellors for the Universities.
According to the public statement conveying the sack of the VCs, the substantive Vice Chancellor of the Federal University, Dutse, Jigawa State, Prof. Mohammed Kundiri, was transferred to the Federal University, Wukari, Taraba State.
A former Head, Department of
International Relations at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife,
Prof. Kayode Soremekun, who was said to be on Sabbatical in NOUN is the
new Vice Chancellor of the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti, Ekiti State.
While the Federal University, Birnin
Kebbi, Kebbi State has Prof. Auwal Yadudu of the Faculty of Law, Bayero
University, Kano as its new VC, Prof. Fatima Batoul Muktar of the
Department of Biology, North West University, Kano is the VC of Federal
University, Dutse, Jigawa State.
A lecturer in the Department of
Pharmacy, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Prof. Haruna Abdu Kaita is
the new VC of Federal University, Dutsin Ma, Katsina State, while Prof.
Andrew Haruna of the Department of Linguistics, University of Jos will
now function as VC, Federal University, Gashua, Yobe State.
While another lecturer in the
Department of Pharmacy, ABU, Zaria, Prof. Magaji Garba, will now be VC
in Federal University, Gusau, Zamfara State, Prof. Alhassan Mohammed
Gani of the Institute of Maritime Studies, Federal University, Kashere
in Gombe State has been elevated to the position of VC in same
University.
A lecturer in the Department of
Physics, Federal University, Lafia, Prof. Muhammad Sanusi Liman will
henceforth be VC of same institution.
For Prof. Angela Freeman Miri of the
Linguistics Department, UNIJOS, she is the Vice Chancellor of the
Federal University, Lokoja.
The Federal University, Ndifu-Alike,
Ebonyi State now has Prof. Chinedum Nwajiuba of the Post-Graduate
School, Imo State University, Owerri as its VC, while Prof. Seth Accra
Jaja of the Department of Management, University of Port Harcourt is
now the VC of Federal University, Otuoke, Bayelsa State.
In a protest letter by the coalition of civil society group to President Buhari, signed by its
President, Etuk Bassey Williams and Secretary-General, Ibrahim
Abubakar, it said the action contravenes the provisions of the
Universities (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act No.11 of 1993 (as amended)
by decree No.25, 1996 and further amended in 2003 and 2012 respectively
and other agreements as contained in the 2009 FGN staff union agreement
The petitioners said that four out of the 12 appointed VCs
are from Kano University, an action they said, was a violation of the
federal character principle.
The letter which demands for the reversal of the decision
in which the NOUN VC was replaced with Prof. Abdalla Uba Adamu of the
Department of Mass Communication, Bayero University, Kano said:
"While this does not come as a surprise owing to the
influence of one of the Special Advisers to the Minister of Education in
orchestrating the appointments of his friends and cronies without
following due process, we are however concerned about the constitutional
breach and the resultant litigation battle this action may cause,
which in turn may generate unnecessary distractions to your focused
administration."
The petition reads, "We are compelled to call your
attention owing to the illegality in the removal of Vice Chancellors of
13 Federal Universities including the National Open University of
Nigeria and the hasty appointment of friends and cronies in place of
those illegally removed from office.
"While we are not unmindful of the fact that you would have
acted on the recommendation of the Minister of Education in approving
their removal, it is pertinent to know that in the pursuit of ambition
driven by unguided passion and greed, impunity becomes inevitable as
the end irrespective of the means is all that matters and in this case,
the removal of these Vice Chancellors is the outcome of an unguided
passion and greed by the Minister of Education and his Special Adviser.
"The constitution is quite clear on the procedures to be
followed in the appointment and disengagement of Vice Chancellors and
none of these procedures were followed in the above case.
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