The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) chapter at Modibbo Adama University (MAU), Yola, has voiced its disapproval of the university’s recent advertisement for the position of vice chancellor.
The union, which called a press conference on the matter, stressed that it totally rejected the advertisement of the vacancy for the post of vice chancellor in MAU because the action was illegal.
Chairperson of the MAU chapter of ASUU, El-Maude Jibreel Gambo who read the text of the press conference to newsmen, said advertisement of vacancies for the offices of vice chancellor and other principal officers in all federal universities has procedures both under normal and abnormal circumstances.
“Under normal circumstances, the Council does that whereas under abnormal circumstances the vice-chancellor or Senate can appoint an acting vice chancellor for a period of six months, depending on the laws governing a particular university,” El-Maude Gambo explained.
He added, however, that, unfortunately, the Minister of Education, Professor Tahir Mamman, “has mandated some university managements, including MAU Yola, to write an application seeking his approval to advertise the position of vice chancellor.”
He said, “This singular illegal act does not only violate the established norms and/or culture of electing vice-chancellors and other principal officers but also threatens the integrity, autonomy and academic freedom of Nigeria’s public universities.”
He added that the act also grossly undermines the principles of transparency, equity and merit-based selection of university principal officers.
The MAU branch of ASUU also condemned what it termed the “illegal” dissolution of governing councils of federal universities by the National Universities Commission, NUC, following a directive of President Bola Tinubu, an act which the union said violates Section 3 (1&2) of Universities Miscellaneous Provisions Act 1993.
El-Maude Gambo urged President Tinubu, the education minister, and other stakeholders to reconstitute the governing councils without delay.
