THE PLOT TO INSTALL PROF. AISHA SANI MAIKUDI AS SUBSTANTIVE VICE CHANCELLOR, UNIVERSITY OF ABUJA THICKENS: IMPUNITY GALLOPS, MEDIOCRITY REIGNS, MERIT AT THE STAKE!

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    According to an insider, that Aisha Sani Maikudi is the Acting Vice Chancellor of the University of Abuja today, is not an accident. It was an orchestrated plot by the Katsina Mafia. Have you heard of the “Katsina Mafia” before? It is part of the carving and allotment of national hegemony under President (General) Mohammed Buhari. He appointed Alhaji Sani Maikudi as Chairman of the Governing Council of University of Abuja. Then Professor Michael Umale Adikwu, a Pharmacist with over 15 years post-professorial experience, was Vice Chancellor. The Katsina mafia having installed Alhaji Sani Maikudi as Chairman of the University’s Governing Council, quickly programmed a succession plan in the governance of the institution.

    The plan is to prepare and hand over the governance of the institution to Prof Maikudi’s daughter, Aisha. Aisha, a young doctor in the Faculty of Law, was only a Senior Lecturer. Alhaji Maikudi saw to it that a good friend and confidant (on Oath), was selected as Vice Chancellor. This was how Professor Abdul Rasheed Na’Allah became Vice Chancellor. Professor Na’Allah, a linguist, had previously served as Vice-Chancellor, Kwara State University between 2015 and 2019. In a Federal University in the Federal Capital Territory, both the Chairman of Council and the Vice Chancellor became cohorts with a mission – take over and sequestrate the governance of the institution. It was a feat to be achieved upon terms, viz, young Aisha to take over from Prof Na’ Allah at the end of his tenure.

    Professor Aisha Maikudi joined the service of the University of Abuja on September 4, 2008, as lecturer II. She later bagged a PhD in International Law in 2015 from the University of Abuja. And rose to the rank of Professor in 2022. She was rapidly promoted to Associate Professor and Deputy Dean of the Law Faculty. She was promoted Professor in 2022, at which time, Prof Na’ Allah was preparing to exit. In the same year, Prof. Na’ Allah nominated her to contest in Senate to be Deputy Vice Chancellor. This was a juicy piece of cake, preparatory to the main meal. Those in academia understand how the choice of Deputy Vice Chancellor is on the nomination of the sitting Vice Chancellor who sits and direct Senate proceedings where the choice is finally made. The tenor of Prof Na’ Allah ended on June 30th 2024 and pronto, Aisha was elected as Acting Vice Chancellor, with only two years professorial experience. In saner climes, the oldest Deputy Vice Chancellor would automatically have taken over but here, it has to be a vote of the Senate under the control of Prof. Na’ Allah.

    The success of the plot directly rests on the Council of the University and its Senate. In orchestrating the plot, Prof Na’ Allah needed a strong hold on the Council and Senate Council of the University. He proceeded to appoint over 700 staff without advertisement and due process in flagrant breach of extant regulations. This strengthened his hold on the Congregation. It transpired that Senate representatives on the Council were four, all Christians while the Congregation was represented by a Christian and a Muslim. Prof Na’ Allah could not endure their scrutiny for long. With impunity, he declared the termination of their tenure and sought to conduct fresh elections in the Senate and congregation to bring in his yes men. Whilst aggrieved members of the academic community went to the courts to seek relief, Professor Abdul Rasheed Na’Allah proceeded with his plans to enthrone Aisha as Deputy VC and now as Acting Vice Chancellor. There are two pending suits challenging the actions of Professor Abdul Rasheed Na’Allah and his cohorts. The institution is therefore headed by a young professor with only two years post-professorial experience and she is expected to direct the affairs of the University and superintend over the affairs of much more older professors and their respective faculties and units in the University. The stagnation in the University since June 2024 and the resultant rumblings within the system are not healthy for a Federal institution whose focus should be on excellence and national unity. Notwithstanding the challenges, Professor Abdul Rasheed Na’Allah had packed his bags and handed over to Aisha. With a loyal Council in place, the next phase is to advertise for the position of a substantive Vice Chancellor.

    It was in this state that President Tinubu became President and dissolved the Council of the University amongst others. In the reconstitution of the Governing Council, AVM SADDIQ ISMAILA KAITA became the new Chairman of the Governing Council. The question on many lips: Is whether AVM Kaita and his Council are now part of the Plot?; A plot to perpetuate mediocrity, advance nepotism and jettison the federal character principle and excellence in the University of Abuja. 

    It is surprising and worrisome that the new Council in advertising for the post of Vice Chancellor provided a defective criteria skewed apparently to accommodate Professor Aisah Maikudi. The Advert released on August 25th 2024 provided that prospective candidate must “demonstrate an ability for active teaching and research experience at the University level for at least 10 years.” This qualifies most lecturers from the rank of Senior Lecturers to the rank of Professor, who certainly would have 10 years teaching experience. Whereas, the standard National Universities Commission (NUC)’s prescription for Vice Chancellors in Federal Universities is to have “at least 10 years post-professorial experience”. The defective advertisement (without requisite professorial experience) went through the new Council chaired by the AVM!

    Ordinarily, minimum experience for a Vice Chancellor in a Federal University is a minimum of 10 years post-professorial experience and not merely 10 years teaching experience. Many State Universities also insist on this level of experience. It is no surprise to pundits that in the public advertisement for the post of Vice Chancellor on 25th August 2024, there was no minimum post-professorial experience for applicants. This is to give eligibility to Prof Aisha Sani Maikudi who has only two years post-professorial experience. She has openly boasted that she is coming back as substantive Vice Chancellor. When that happens, Professor Abdul Rasheed Na’Allah would have fulfilled his undertaking with Alhaji Sani Maikudi, the father of Aisha.

    All these are happening in a Federal university with the avowed vision of promoting academic excellence combined with the pursuit of the unity of Nigeria under the watch of President Ahmed Bola Tinubu.  It is an irony that the University hosts the Abuja Leadership Centre (ALC), which runs postgraduate studies in various courses, including Public Governance and Leadership, Security, Military Strategies among others. The ALC is to serve as a platform in evolving effective leadership templates in surmounting the myriad of problems haranguing national development. Yet, in house transparent leadership and succession is a problem. A similar scenario is playing out at the College of Medicine, Nnamdi Azikiwe University (NAU), Awka, where lecturers have embarked on an indefinite strike over the exclusion of co-lecturers from contesting for the position of Vice-Chancellor in that institution.

    While these games and plots are grinding to completion, where is ASUU? The University community is not fractionized with two court cases pending. The trouble is brewing! We constantly cry of falling academic standards. Some of the root causes are the lack of transparency and reign of nepotism in negation of qualifications and merit in the senior management of our tertiary institutions. The University of Abuja is a federal institution under the auspices of the Federal Ministry of Education, whose Minister is responsible to the President of the Federal Republic, President, Ahmed Bola Tinubu. A stitch in time saves nine. May all those concerned rises to checkmate these crimes against institutional excellence and the progress of academia, generally.

    The Nigerian Association of Law Teachers (NALT) will be holding its next annual Conference at the University of Ilorin. These and many more issues inhibiting quality tertiary education in Nigeria will be on the front burners. Beyond jaw jaw, we call on the Minister for Education, a Professor of law of remarkable experience and the President of the Federal Republic, to correct these anomalies in the system.

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