During Wednesday’s regular meeting, a few members of the University of Abuja Senate demonstrated by walking out.
According to a source, the issue started when a professor brought up a point of order following Vice Chancellor Prof. Aisha Maikudi’s opening statement, emphasising the necessity of adding a crucial topic to the meeting’s agenda for debate.
The professor was shouted down and had his microphone taken away before he could finish speaking about issues like the unprovoked attack on Senate members on December 23, 2024, by members of vigilante groups, and the dubious selection process that allowed Aisha Maikudi to succeed herself as Vice Chancellor.
The Senate’s poor turnout prompted some senators to leave, claiming that Maikudi’s appointment was a defective process that did not follow the established procedures for selecting a vice chancellor. She is not legally allowed to chair the meeting, they claimed.
According to the source, “The Senate of the University of Abuja met today upon notice of regular meeting which was disseminated three days ago to Senate members.
“After the opening remark by Aisha Maikudi, a professor on the floor of the Senate raised a point of order to draw the attention of the Senate to the need to include an important item on the agenda of the meeting for deliberation, namely, the callous attack on Senate members by men of vigilante group in December 2024.
“He also observed that even at that moment, there was an unusual presence of a large number of vigilantes around the Senate Chambers. This ugly development is an indication that there is tension in the University.
“This tension is not unconnected to the deep-seated disaffection of a good number of Senate members on the fraudulent selection process that paved the way for Aisha Maikudi to succeed herself as substantive Vice-Chancellor.
“The professor was shouted down and the microphone taken from him before he could conclude his point order.”
According to the source, the presence of non-academic staff members in the Senate Chambers who posed as members of the Senate secretarial assistance was equally concerning.
“The poor attendance at today’s meeting also point to the unabating trepidation of a good number of professors about their security at the Senate Chambers.
“Many members of Senate eventually staged a walk out. It is therefore no longer in doubt that the University of Abuja is progressively degenerating into anything other than what a university system should be.”
The insider cautioned that if nothing is done, the repercussions of the university’s worsening circumstances are worse than anticipated.
The source said, “Already, morale of academic staff is on record low level. Senior professors considered that the foisting of Aisha Maikudi, with only two years post-professorial experience as substantive vice chancellor is a huge disincentive to hard work, commitment to scholarship and patience in academic career of the university.”
There was no protest, a professor who participated in the Senate walkout said, “But the progressives did quietly leave the meeting because it was militarised with a desired aim”.
“We are waiting for the decisions taken therein,” the don said.
President Bola Tinubu, who is visiting the institution, has received an open letter from forty-three professors affiliated with the institution of Abuja urging him to act quickly to prevent the situation from getting out of control.
The letter is titled; “Anarchy Looms at the University of Abuja over the Illegal Appointment of Prof. Aisha Maikudi as Vice-Chancellor.”
In order for UNIABUJA to proceed, the Senate members urged the President to dismiss AVM Sadiq Kaita, the Chairman of Council, and Vice Chancellor Maikudi, alleging that they had abused due process and displayed egregious ineptitude.
They said, “We, the undersigned 43 Professors and members of Senate of the University of Abuja feel compelled to bring to Your Excellency’s attention our concerns regarding the gross irregularities, blatant disregard for due process, violations of relevant laws and regulations, favouritism, abuse of privileges, undue interference, and lack of fairness that marred the selection process for the Vice-Chancellorship of the University of Abuja.
“These lapses culminated in the unfortunate imposition of Professor Aisha Sani Maikudi, the least qualified applicant as the substantive Vice-Chancellor. Such events not only undermine the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr. President but also risk setting a dangerous precedent for other Governing Councils in appointing Vice-Chancellors across Nigerian universities.
“UNIABUJA is now the laughing stock of both the national and international academic communities. This petition is of urgent national importance because the two most important governing and administrative machinery of the University are now completely grounded. These are the Governing Council and the Senate of the University of Abuja.”
They clarified that the Council can no longer operate efficiently since three of the five delegates designated by the federal government had sworn allegiance to the Chairman, AVM Sadiq Ismail Kaita.
They said, “These three external members – Prof. Ralph Akinfeleye, Hon. Sabo Bappayo Ahmed and Mrs. Chisom Obih, boycotted the last Council meeting that was scheduled for 5.00pm on New Year’s Eve- December 31, 2024. It was at this oddly and strangely convened meeting that Prof. Aisha Maikudi was hand-picked and foisted as Vice Chancellor on the University.
“In fact, the three external members of Council demanded for the agenda for the meeting but it was never made available to them. As far as these members of Council are concerned, they are unaware and have not been informed of the appointment of a substantive Vice Chancellor for UNIABUJA.
“AVM Sadiq Kaita’s apparent leadership failure is also responsible for the failure of the Governing Council to appoint a substantive Registrar for the university after almost seven months.
“This appointment, which is long overdue, is now in limbo because, technically, there is no functional Council in place. Staff promotion and appointment cases are stuck since Council has abdicated its responsibility.”
They added that the Senate has not been able to convene because the Senate’s purported chairman is experiencing a crisis of legitimacy after being rejected by over half of the Senate due to her lack of expertise and qualifications for the position.
“Besides, the process that ushered her in was fundamentally flawed morally, legally and administratively,” they said.
“Critical decisions relating to the 2024/2025 admission exercise, approval of students’ results, approval of the academic calendar and other sundry academic issues, which fall under the purview of Senate, have been left unattended to several months after students’ resumption to campus.
“Everything is currently at a standstill and the illegal occupant of the Vice Chancellorship office is busy running from pillar to post, crisscrossing the country – even by chartered flights – lobbying for acceptance and legitimacy from eminent traditional rulers and top politicians.
“UNIABUJA’s meagre resources and taxpayers’ money, which are sometimes beyond the approval limit of the so-called Vice Chancellor, are being recklessly expended on an illegitimate pursuit that will ultimately collapse like a pack of cards.”
The lecturers listed numerous violations before pleading for the president to consider the issue of serious national concern.
Source:Sahara