There is tension currently in the University of Abuja (UniAbuja) over moves to appoint an outsider as the next Vice-Chancellor of the institution.

Investigations revealed that the governing council of the Institution has already shortlisted 14 qualified candidates for interview next week, after which the name of one successful candidate would be sent to the President for appointment of the next Vice-Chancellor.

Some senior lecturers who spoke to our correspondent on condition of anonymity, explained that rather than choose from among 140 professors in the school, the chairman of the governing council, Sani Maikudi, was plotting to position an outsider for the plumb job.

The lecturer said that to achieve his plan, Maikudi is also alleged to have appointed three out of five members of the selection committee for the appointment.

“He started manipulating the process by appointing three out of the five members of the selection committee. His stooges in the team are Kyari, Dofili, and Anuma,” the lecturers said. Out of the 14 shortlisted candidates, four have been selected within the University while the remaining 10 candidates are outside of the institution.

Among those shortlisted within the University are Professor Mabel, Professor E.J Nwane, Professor O.P Ajaegbuna and Professor G. O Egbu. The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), UniAbuja chapter has already kicked against the plan by Maikudi and his team, who are bent on appointing the next Vice-Chancellor who will do his bidding.

New Telegraph gathered that ASUU has since sent a communiqué, outlining its position on the selection process, considered flawed to the University’s governing council.

“Our members believe that Miakudi and his committee must do the right thing by giving qualified candidates here an opportunity to participate. It is so far a flawed process.

“ASUU also believes that selecting someone within, will enable the next Vice-Chancellor hit the ground running when he or she is appointed and not to depend on other people to learn the ropes.”

The current Vice-Chancellor of the University, Professor Michael Adikwu, who was appointed in July 2014, is due to exit office on July 1, 2019. There has always been tension over the years whenever it is time to pick a Vice-Chancellor for the University located in the nation’s capital. Adikwu, who bows out next month also came in as an external candidate but was vehemently rejected in some quarters over alleged lack of due process in his emergence. He was appointed while serving in the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. (New Telegraph)

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