Intrigues as ABU selects new VC tomorrow

The interview for the final selection of the new Vice Chancellor for the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, is slated to begin tomorrow, but parties involved in the process are said to have accused each other of unfairness, prompting the stoppage of proceedings.

The Governing Council had, at its meeting on January 6, 2020, considered the names of 18 professors. The number was later reduced to 11 out of which few were said to have withdrawn from the contest.

The incumbent VC, Professor Ibrahim Garba, had reportedly written two letters; one to the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, alleging irregularities in the process, and the other to the Registrar, Abdullahi Ahmad Kundila, directing the stoppage of the exercise on security grounds.

In an interview with Daily Trust, Professor Garba said the move was to prevent any breach of peace in the university over the exercise.

He added: “Having realized that the procedures are being violated, I wrote a letter to the minister through the National Universities Commission and copied all the relevant security agencies. As the ministry did not act and I was receiving security reports, I therefore wrote another letter to the registrar of the university, asking him to inform all relevant stakeholders that I cannot guarantee the security of the process. I advised the stoppage of the process until we hear from the minister.”

The VC also denied fielding a candidate saying “this type of display of selfish interest is what is causing crisis in ABU. Wallahi, it is not true that I am openly supporting any candidate. Of course, I may have my preferred candidate like any other member of the community, but I keep that to myself. However, I have abundant evidence that the other party is openly backing a certain candidate.”

The council chairman, Malam Adamu Fika, when asked whether or not he has a preferred candidate for the post, declined comment.

In a reaction, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Sonny Echono, yesterday in a statement, said the minister had directed the Governing Council and the Selection Board to proceed with all processes required for the appointment of a new VC.

The minister was quoted as saying “having established that the processes and procedures adopted in the on-going selection exercise are consistent with the approved guidelines and the University Act, proceedings should be continued to a logical conclusion.

“It is therefore, the expectation of the ministry that the Governing Council under the leadership of the chairman, shall take all necessary steps to ensure a successful discharged of this mandate in a prompt, accountable and transparent manner without undue rancor.”

The statement, signed by Deputy Director, Information, Ben Bem Goong, confirmed that the directive was in response to a request by the Chancellor, the Obi of Onitsha, H.R.H. Igwe Alfred Achebe, for intervention in the disagreement over the selection process.

In an earlier correspondence to the ministry, copied to the chancellor, the outgoing VC, Prof. Garba, had requested the ministry’s directive on how to proceed with the matter, which he subsequently put on hold, the statement said.

Meanwhile, Chairman, Academic Staff Union of Universities, ABU chapter, Prof. Rabiu Nasiru, said: “Things are being done according to the laid down rules and regulations. We are still watching and monitoring how things are unfolding. If there is any breach of law, we will definitely raise alarm.

“Selection of VC is the sole responsibility of the council. Therefore, nobody has the responsibility to ask for the stoppage of the process. The law says council should select the VC and inform the Visitor.

On its part, the host community urged all relevant stakeholders to allow peaceful completion of the process.

Secretary, Samaru Community, Hassan Usman, said the community’s interest and prayer is for the emergence of a competent and credible candidate as the VC.

It was learnt that a letter from the Ministry of Education had directed the registrar to be answerable only to the prochancellor and the council chairman.

A source said the venue of the interview had been moved to Arewa House, Kaduna, for “security reason.” Arewa House is part of the History Department of ABU.

Timeline

The position of the VC would become vacant from April 30 marking the end of the five-year tenure of Prof. Garba.

The deliberation over the requirements for eligibility of candidates heralded the intrigues still playing out.

The contestants are Professors Lawal Saidu, Veterinary Medicine; Sadiq Zubairu Abubakar, NAERLS; Kabiru Bala, Building; Ezzedeen M. Abdulrahman, Pharmacy; Abdullahi Mohammed, Pathology; Kabir Sabitu; Isa Marte Hussaini; Abdullahi A. Umar; Ibrahim Musa Umar; Idris Isa Funtua and Sani Ahmed Miko.

They will face the five-man selection panel comprising three council members and two senate representatives.