FG’ll reconstitute varsities’ governing councils soon – Tinubu

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has said the federal government would soon reconstitute the governing boards of federal universities to reinvigorate them.

Tinubu said this yesterday at the 27th convocation ceremony of the University of Abuja.

Tinubu, who was represented by the Minister of Special Duties and Inter-governmental Affairs, Zaphaniah Jisalo, said the incoming boards would prioritise implementation of various visitation panels in the universities.

He said, “Efforts are ongoing to reconstitute the governing councils of the universities so as to reinvigorate the institutions in line with the renewed hope mandate of my administration.

“When inaugurated, the councils will be expected to immediately commence the implementation of the White Paper on the reports of the various visitation panels in their respective universities.

“Let it be known that government will neither accept nor condone any shoddy performance in the implementation of the White Paper nor the overall mandate of the new governing councils.”

Tinubu bemoaned the “undue politics of exclusion, primordial considerations etc in the process of selection and appointment of vice chancellors and other principal officers, as well as the manner of appointing staff into leadership positions.”

Speaking earlier, the vice chancellor, University of Abuja, Prof Abdul-Rasheed Na’Allah, said the school graduated a total of 7,034 students for this year’s convocation.

“Out of this number, 6, 044 will be graduating with first degrees, 270 with postgraduate diplomas, 613 with masters’ and 107 with doctorate degrees.