The House of Representatives Committee on University Education has summoned Education Minister Morufu Alausa in response to claims of indiscriminate removal of vice-chancellors.
The committee also claimed that Alausa was involved in the disbanding of university governing boards. The committee’s chairman, Abubakar Fulata (APC-Jigawa), announced the news at a meeting in Abuja.
Fulata stated that the minister’s appearance was critical due to a number of petitions the committee had recently received against him.
He added that some of the impacted universities were Alvan Ikoku Federal University of Education in Owerri, Nnamdi Azikiwe University in Awka, and the University of Nigeria in Nsukka.
According to reports, the congressman stated that the education sector is presently suffering issues as a result of unstable leadership caused by unilateral moves to dissolve governing councils and remove substantive vice-chancellors.
He also mentioned instances of installing acting vice-chancellors, among other difficulties.
Fulata stated that such uncertainties pose a big threat to the sector since they may cause unneeded conflict among university administrators.
He warned that this might threaten the school system’s tenure and stability, as well as lead to the misuse of applicable laws and provisions.
Abubakar Kari, a representative of the University of Abuja’s concerned staff, stated that the firing of Aisha Maikudi as Vice-Chancellor, as well as the council’s dissolution on February 6, 2025, was unexpected.
Kari denounced the situation while addressing a petition titled ‘Unwarranted Removal of Prof. Aisha Maikudi as Vice-Chancellor and Dissolution of the Governing Council of the University of Abuja’.
He also mentioned that Air Vice Marshal Ismaila Kaita (retd) was dismissed as chairman of the council, Senator Lanre Tejuoso was nominated to the governing council, and Patricia Lar was named acting vice-chancellor.
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According to Kari, these activities violated the Universities Miscellaneous Provisions Amendment Act of 2003, which clearly states the procedures for removing a vice-chancellor.
He highlighted that the governing council of a university has the ability to fire a vice-chancellor.
He encouraged legislators to intervene and immediately reinstate Ms. Maikudi in her post, as well as to ensure that council members serve their tenure as elected representatives of the University Senate and congregation.
In their separate statements, Ms. Maikudi and Mr. Kaita informed the committee that they had yet to receive any correspondence explaining their dismissal.
