Controversy Over ‘Fake Letter’ Trails Appointment Of UNIABUJA VC
BY VICTOR BUORO, ABUJA – The appointment of Professor Aisha Maikudi as Vice Chancellor of the University of Abuja has again run into trouble waters as the Federal Ministry of Education has outrightly denied issuance of a Letter to the Governing Council Chairman to Circumvent Due Process
Forefront News gathered that the letter in question may not have been authorised by the Minister of Education thus considered as inappropriate and not in line with laid down rules and regulations guiding the appointment of a Vice Chancellor for the University.
A letter allegedly addressed to the Governing Council of the tertiary institution directing it to conclude the selection processes of the Vice Chancellor and the appointment of a substantive Registrar for the university before December 31, 2024 without due process is now being questioned over its genuineness thus, dogged by credibility issues.
Close sources within the Federal Ministry of Education told Forefront News on condition of anonymity that the purported letter that authorised the University Governing Council to circumvent the process was fake.
Professor Aisha Maikudi, who was acting Vice Chancellor, was appointed as Vice Chancellor on December 31, 2024, in spite of opposition and protests by some senior professors of the University who alleged that the selection process was deliberately and clearly manipulated to favour her.
The professors particularly accused the Chairman of the Governing Council, Air Vice-Marshal Saddiq Ismaila Kaita (rtd.), of deliberately rushing to conclude the selection process during the Christmas and New Year breaks, without giving adequate time for proper evaluation.
The Chairman of the Governing Council of the University of Abuja, Ismaila Kaita had cited a letter purportedly written by the Minister of Education which was signed by Director, University Education, Mrs R.G Ilyasu, directing it to conclude the selection and appointment of both Vice Chancellor and Registrar of the University on or before December 31, 2024.
Mrs Iliyasu, in the letter dated 13th December, 2024, addressed to the Pro-Chancellor/Chairman, Governing Council, University of Abuja, and copied the acting Vice Chancellor, stressed the need to conclude the selection process for the positions of Vice-Chancellor and Registrar for the University of Abuja.
It further stated; “I am directed to bring to your notice the plethora of negative publications on the social/news media pertaining to the selection process for the Vice- Chancellor and Registrar of the University.
“It is important to point out that this negative publicity does not augur well for a citadel of learning like the University of Abuja.
“Consequently, I am further directed to advice you to urgently convey an Extra-Ordinary Meeting of council to carry out all the necessary procedures in the appointment of the two principal officers (Vice-Chancellor and Registrar).
“The Honourable Minister of Education has directed that this process should be conducted, concluded and appoint a substantive Vice-Chancellor and Registrar for the University of Abuja, on or before the 31st December 2024,” she directed.
However, an insider in the Federal Ministry of Education, said that the purported letter was “fake”, stressing that the Minister, Dr Tunji Alausa did not authorise the letter neither was his consent sought before it was written and purportedly issued.
It was also gathered that while the member of the joint selection board for the position of Vice Chancellorship representing the Federal Ministry of Education, Mr Abubakar K. Isa, who is the Director of ICT in the ministry, was aware of the letter by Mrs Iliyasu, other members of the Council were kept in the dark until when the meeting of the Council commenced on December 24, 2024 following which the Chairman of Council mentioned it and did not give room for checks and confirmation.
A member of the Governing Council said that some of them were not comfortable with the way the Chairman of the Council just mentioned it in passing and made it more suspicion when he said that he is keeping it to himself.
The source further said; “The chairman like in a military style, told members of the Council at the meeting that he intended to finish the exercise by 31st December.
“We then raised objection and queried the hurried process and when he stood his ground and refused to allow for democratic participation, we staged a walk out,” the source stressed.
It also said; “It was obvious that the letter was not genuine and the Minister could not have authorised a letter to the Council to circumvent a selection and appointment processes of a Vice Chancellor and Registrar for the University of Abuja particularly after the same Minister had nullified the appointment of Professor Bernard Odoh as the substantive Vice-Chancellor of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, on allegations of procedural irregularities.
“The Minister would not encourage illegality because he would not want to be put on the hot seat to explain why he would be using different rules for same procedure and worse of it would not want to be seen as having personal interest in Prof Aisha Maikudi becoming the VC of the University of Abuja at all cost.
The coming days are certainly going to be interesting with regards to the appointment of a Vice Chancellor for the University of Abuja.
