Michael Olugbode in Abuja

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) chapter, has strongly rejected President Bola Tinubu’s move to rename the institution after the late former President Muhammadu Buhari

In a statement released by the Chairman of the UNIMAID chapter of ASUU, Dr. Abubakar Mshelia Saidu, described the decision as “politically motivated,” and a “brazen affront” to the university’s legacy, history, and academic integrity.

The renaming, announced at a special Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting held in Buhari’s honour on July 17, has drawn widespread criticism both within and outside the university.

The union is now mobilising its Congress, veterans, and extended executive council to resist the move.

“This action is not merely shocking; it desecrates the sanctity of our alma mater,” the union said, especially as “the university prepares to mark its 50th anniversary under the widely respected ‘UNIMAID’ identity.

ASUU warned that the decision amounts to sacrificing the institution’s hard-earned reputation for political patronage.

The statement also noted that public outrage is mounting, and ASUU’s response would be “unequivocal, forceful, and commanding.”

While calling for collective resistance, the union emphasized that it will respond intellectually and factually, urging members and the public to contribute views ahead of upcoming deliberations.

“We must articulate our adamant opposition and demand the immediate reversal of this ill-conceived and deeply offensive decision,” the union declared.

UNIMAID is a leading federal university in Nigeria, founded in 1975, and noted for maintaining academic excellence despite ongoing insecurity in the North-east.

Those opposed to the renaming argue that Buhari already has multiple public institutions named after him, especially in Borno State, stressing that this latest move is unnecessary and divisive. (THISDAY)