A former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Attahiru Jega, has called on the Federal Government to stop appointing failed politicians and unqualified individuals as heads of Nigerian universities.

Delivering the 3rd Abdullahi Mahadi Annual Memorial Lecture at Gombe State University (GSU), Jega warned that such practices are crippling academic standards and undermining the integrity of higher education.

In the lecture titled “Challenges and Prospects of Improving University Governance in Nigeria,” Jega said universities must be governed by competent, experienced, and visionary academic leaders, not political loyalists with no understanding of university administration.

He lamented that political interference in the appointment of vice-chancellors, governing council members, and other top officials has contributed to the deterioration of university governance, poor decision-making, and the deepening crisis of quality in the Nigerian higher education system.

He said, “A university is a specialized intellectual environment. It cannot thrive when leadership positions are turned into political compensation for those who failed in elections or have no academic standing.”

Prof. Jega emphasised on the need for merit-based, transparent, and competitive recruitment processes to ensure that the most qualified academics are appointed to leadership positions.

He warned that unless Nigerian universities are insulated from political meddling, the country will continue to produce graduates who are ill-equipped for national development.

Our correspondent reports that the memorial lecture, held in honour of the late Prof. Abdullahi Mahadi, a onetime Vice Chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria, and the pioneer VC of GSU, brought together academics, policymakers, students, and education stakeholders.

In their respective submissions, some of the stakeholders echoed Prof. Jega’s call for urgent reforms to restore sanity and credibility to university governance in Nigeria.

In his remarks, the Vice Chancellor of GSU, Professor Sani Ahmed Yauta, praised the enduring legacies of Professor Mahdi, describing him as a visionary leader whose passion, wisdom, and exemplary service laid a strong foundation for the University.

Prof. Yauta expressed gratitude for the presence of the guest lecturer, Prof. Jega, chairman of the event and Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Kashere, Professor Umaru Pate and other dignitaries, for their continued support to the University and the Prof. Abdullahi Mahadi Memorial Lecture Series. (Daily Trust)