FOGOCOM Chairman Warns Against Political Interference In National Conference

The National Chairman of the Forum of Governing Council Members in Nigeria Tertiary Institutions (FOGOCOM), Chief (Dr.) Akin-Thomas Babajide, has warned against alleged attempts to use political disagreements to interfere with the forum’s forthcoming national conference.

Babajide gave the warning ahead of the FOGOCOM National Conference scheduled for September 29, 2026, in Abuja.

In a statement, the chairman said the forum had become concerned over what he described as attempts to discredit his leadership following FOGOCOM’s public position on the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

FOGOCOM had previously commended the Federal Government’s interventions in the tertiary education sector and expressed support for continuity of the Renewed Hope Agenda ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Babajide said the forthcoming conference was designed to bring together governing council members from tertiary institutions across the country to deliberate on good governance, institutional development, education-sector reforms and their responsibilities in the governance of tertiary institutions.

He maintained that members of the forum, as citizens and political stakeholders, have the constitutional right to support candidates and policy directions of their choice.

The chairman urged anyone with genuine concerns about his leadership or the forthcoming conference to use appropriate channels rather than resorting to personal attacks or what he described as unsubstantiated allegations.

He also called on FOGOCOM members to remain calm and united, saying the forum would remain focused on good governance, accountability and the advancement of Nigeria’s tertiary education system.

Babajide said FOGOCOM would not allow political differences to distract it from its activities or undermine the objectives of the forthcoming conference.