The Civil Society Coalition for Educational Development has asked President Bola Tinubu to intervene in the ongoing dispute regarding the appointment of a new vice-chancellor at the University of Abuja (UniAbuja).
On Tuesday, there were reports about protests at the UniAbuja campus, led by some professors, who expressed dissatisfaction with the university’s vice-chancellor selection process.
The protesting professors claimed that the governing council was attempting to appoint Aisha Maikudi as the permanent vice-chancellor, despite her alleged ineligibility based on the advertised criteria for the position.
In response, the university management defended Maikudi’s qualifications, stating that her achievements during her tenure as acting VC demonstrated her competence.
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On Friday, a group of 25 civil society organisations (CSOs) presented a report at the university’s main gate in support of Maikudi.
Wisdom Chinedu, a representative of the coalition, condemned the protest, labeling it “unnecessary and counterproductive.”
Chinedu further argued that the protest appeared to be a deliberate effort to tarnish the reputation of the acting vice-chancellor.
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“We are deeply frustrated by the actions of these protesting professors,” he said.
“Their protest is an attack on due process, a betrayal of their own experience, and a direct assault on the global push to include more women and youth in leadership roles.”
He emphasised that the protest seemed to be part of a coordinated campaign to discredit Maikudi, who previously served as deputy vice-chancellor without any record of failure or disqualification.
Chinedu also dismissed claims that there was a lack of southern representation on the selection committee.
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He urged Tinubu to step in and address the crisis, offering protection to Maikudi, who, according to him, is the target of an ethnic and political conspiracy aimed at undermining her leadership.
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