UniAbuja ASUU at loggerheads with minister over advert seeking VC’s successor

Members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) at the University of Abuja (UniAbuja) are at loggerheads with Tahir Mamman, the minister of education.

ASUU rejected an advertisement it claimed the minister had approved to seek the successor of the university’s vice-chancellor (VC).

An advertorial surfaced in a national daily on March 15 seeking a replacement for Abdulrasheed Na’Allah, the immediate VC of UniAbuja.

ASUU members, in a conference on Thursday, rejected the ad, declared it “illegal”, and stated that it was not from the governing council.

Sylvanus Ugoh, chairman of UniAbuja ASUU, said the Universities Miscellaneous Provision Act 1993 as amended, 2003, and 2012 (section 3 subsections 1 and 2) empowers only the governing council to advertise the VC’s seat when declared vacant.

He argued that no other organ or individual is legally vested with the power to initiate the procedure of appointing a successive VC.

“You will recall that the university administration placed an advert on the vacancy of the post of vice chancellor on Friday 15th March 2024,” Ugoh said.

“The Academic Staff Union of Universities at the University of Abuja wishes to declare that the minister of education and the university administration acted in violation of the act and the university autonomy.

“The registrar as the custodian of the law cannot claim ignorance of the process and procedure of appointment of the vice-chancellor as stated in the act.

“Despite congress resolutions of 6th of March, 2024, which were communicated to the university administration, it went ahead to place the illegal advert.”

The ASUU leadership advised intending applicants for the position to steer clear of the advert “until due process is adhered to”.

In 2023, the governing councils of all federal universities were dissolved following a directive from President Bola Tinubu.

This has forced federal universities to seek government approval before taking administrative decisions, including hiking fees.

Ugoh alleged that it has encouraged “high-level disregard” for regulations and “flagrant abuse” of the laws governing UniAbuja.

“At different times, federal government actions and inactions have contributed negatively to the smooth running of the university,” he said.

The union called on the federal government to reinstate the governing councils in the interest of the university autonomy.

It asked the management and the minister of education to withdraw the published advertorial in compliance with the law.