Senior Lecturers Fault Selection Of Gowon Varsity’s Vice Chancellor

A group of senior academics at the Yakubu Gowon University (formerly University of Abuja) has faulted the recent appointment of the institution’s substantive vice chancellor, alleging that the governing council violated the advertised requirements for the position.

This was contained in a joint statement signed in Abuja yesterday by Prof. Oluwaseun Livingstone Fayose, Prof Fatima Ribadu, Prof. Folake Agnes Ige, Prof. Khalid Ibrahim Musa, Prof Ibinabo Hart and Prof. Sambo Ishaq.

The scholars warned that retaining a Vice-Chancellor who did not meet the advertised requirements could expose the university to legal challenges, undermine NUC oversight, and damage the institution’s local and international credibility.

The group, representing Concerned Academic Stakeholders, argued that once a public institution advertises conditions for eligibility, those requirements become legally binding and cannot be waived during the selection process.

They also referenced the university’s history of selecting vice chancellors with clear, unambiguous qualifications to avoid litigation and preserve institutional stability.

They said the current controversy marked a departure from the university’s long-standing governance tradition.

The group called on the governing council to uphold the principles of legality, meritocracy and fairness by withdrawing the appointment and installing a qualified candidate in line with the published criteria.

The statement read, “The long-standing tradition of the University in selecting the least controversial and most legally defensible candidate reinforces the argument that the Governing Council is institutionally obligated to correct the present anomaly through elevation of the fully qualified, non-controversial candidate from the existing shortlist.

“For the preservation of institutional integrity, regulatory coherence, and public trust, the following actions are governance-optimal: Immediate enforcement of strict advertised requirements.

“Withdrawal of any appointment made in violation of mandatory academic qualifications and adoption of the highest-ranked fully compliant candidate to restore procedural legitimacy.”

They also called for a formal reaffirmation of the university’s historical governance tradition, rooted in legality and risk avoidance.