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The acting vice-chancellor had alleged that a series of actions taken under the leadership of the Chairman of Council, Kaita, “have the potential of seriously impinging the good governance, stability and progress of the University of Abuja”.
Air Vice Marshal Saddiq Isma'ila Kaita (Rtd), Pro-Chancellor of the University of Abuja, has confirmed that the school's Acting Vice-Chancellor (VC), Prof. Aisha Maikudi, has been using her position to push for a permanent appointment as a substantive VC.
The pro-chancellor stated this in a letter addressed to Nigeria's Minister of Education, which was obtained by SaharaReporters on Monday.
The letter was a response to the concerns raised by the Acting Vice Chancellor to the minister, in a letter dated November 6, 2024, accusing the governing council led by Kaita of irregularities in their recent administrative functions.
The acting vice-chancellor alleged that a series of actions taken under the leadership of the Chairman of Council, Kaita, “have the potential of seriously impinging the good governance, stability and progress of the University of Abuja”.
Maikudi said the conduct of the Pro-chancellor is making it impossible for a smooth relationship between the Council and the school management under her leadership.
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She highlighted three issues, one of which is about the appointment of a new substantive bursar.
According to her, the appointment process for the University Bursar has been marked by “a serious breach of procedure and undue interference”.
She described Kaita’s actions as “blatant disregard for due process”, saying it has compromised the legitimacy of the selection process.
Maikudi also lamented an issue regarding the appointment of an Acting Registrar, saying she nominated the most senior deputy registrar, but the Council Chairman rejected her choice on “unsubstantiated legal grounds”.
The third issue concerns the alleged misuse of extraordinary meetings and council resources.
In October, SaharaReporters reported how the Governing Council of the university led by Kaita, was reportedly attempting to impose Maikudi as its substantive Vice Chancellor.
According to sources, the university’s governing council bent the rules by relaxing qualification standards in an attempt to facilitate Maikudi's appointment as the substantive VC.
This move raised concerns about the fairness and transparency of the selection process.
Reacting to the allegations made by the acting Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Maikudi, in her letter to the education minister, the Pro-Chancellor said her complaints were borne out of her desperation to secure an appointment as the substantive Vice-Chancellor of the university.
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He said: “To start with, I must point out that the Acting Vice Chancellor, Professor Aisha Sani Maikudi is a candidate for the advertised position of Vice Chancellor. This makes her an interested party in every issue before the Governing Council of the University of Abuja and this has raised concerns about her conflict of interest as an employer, being a statutory member of Council, and as an applicant for the position of Vice-Chancellor.
“Flowing from the above, the Honourable Minister will understand that the Acting Vice Chancellor is seeking favour, taking advantage of her acting position to sit in Council, participated in considering the contents of the advertisement for the position of Vice Chancellor knowing fully well that she was going to apply, disrespectfully refused to excuse herself when asked to do so if she intended to apply, and then turn around to apply for the position of Vice Chancellor after the advertisement was published. This anomaly is just a fraction of the problems before the Council.”
The Pro-Chancellor added that the council relied largely on the established procedures of the University and the Acting Vice Chancellor participated in all the processes towards the appointment of the Bursar.
Regarding Maikudi’s allegation that process leading to the bursar’s appointment was marked by a series of breach of procedure and undue interference, Kaita said, “Council relied largely on the established procedures of the University and the Acting Vice Chancellor participated in all the processes. Undue interference from where and by who?”
He said, “I must add here that Council reserves the power to appoint consultants for any purpose it deems fit.
“Secondly, the report of the Council and Senate Joint Selection Board was considered by Council.
“Thirdly, the Federal Character Commission was involved in the exercise and it reported that the process was transparent and based on merit.
“Fourthly, there is no mandatory protocol that was bypassed by the Council. If the Acting Vice Chancellor is sincere, she should have simply alleged that Council declined her unethical request to appoint her preferred candidate who scored 67.7% as against the external candidate who scored 76.9% and came 1st in the interview for the position of Bursar.
“The mandatory protocol I know is to appoint whoever performs best in the interview, notwithstanding whether it is an internal or external candidate. The advertisement was for both internal and external candidates.”
Regarding the acting VC’s allegations regarding the appointment of acting registrar by the school’s Governing Council, the Pro-chancellor said, “The question is, does an Acting Vice Chancellor have power to appoint an Acting Registrar or any other Principal Officer of the University?
“The obvious answer is NO! Unfortunately, the Acting Vice Chancellor claimed that it was within her prerogative powers to make the appointment of Acting Registrar and inform Council. That is exactly what she did, thereby misleading Council into approving same until we found out that we acted in error.”
He said, “Instead of providing the list of eligible Deputy Registrars for Council to consider for appointment as Acting Registrar, the Acting Vice Chancellor announced that she had already appointed Mrs Islamiyat Abdulrahim who became a Deputy Registrar in 2017, jumping several other persons who became Deputy Registrars earlier than Mrs Islamiyat Abdulrahim.
“This did not sit well with many members of the Council present at its meeting of 5th November, 2024 but the decision was tentatively approved pending administrative input from the Registry.
“However, without waiting for the expected profile of Deputy Registrars from the Registry, the Acting Vice Chancellor hurriedly went ahead and issued the appointment letter on the same 5th November 2024, stating that Council had approved the appointment of Mrs. Islamiyat Abdulrahim as Acting Registrar.
“Meanwhile, the profile of available Deputy Registrars forwarded to Council revealed that there are 10 older Deputy Registrars, higher in ranking than the one selected by the Acting Vice Chancellor.
“Some of them became Deputy Registrars much earlier in 2010, 2013, 2014 and 2016 respectively. This is a huge de-motivator in public service. Accordingly, an emergency meeting of Council was convened to review the decision.
“From the foregoing, it is obvious that the Acting Vice Chancellor has no regard for seniority in the Registry service and she has no respect for the Governing Council.”
In conclusion, the Pro-chancellor said, “I will like to know why the Acting Vice Chancellor did not discuss the concerns with me, did not write to me, and did not write through me as Pro-Chancellor, for onward transmission to the Honourable Minister.
“This lack of regard for the Pro-Chancellor and the Governing Council is a clear breach of administrative procedure for which she should be queried.
“Finally, I am at a loss on the kind of intervention the Acting Vice Chancellor seeks from the Honourable Minister for Education on the activities of the University of Abuja Governing Council.
“Is it to review the existing statutory powers and functions conferred on the University of Abuja Governing Council by the Universities (Miscellaneous Provisions) Amendment Act 2012 or to subject the autonomy of the University to ridicule? Can it be said that by her petition to the Minister, the Acting Vice Chancellor is challenging the authority of the Governing Council of the University of Abuja or that she truly does not know the limitations and boundaries of her powers as Acting Vice Chancellor?”
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