The Governing Council of the University of Abuja, under the chairmanship of Air Vice-Marshal Saddiq Ismaila Kaita (Rtd), has approved the appointment of Professor Aisha Sani Maikudi as the 7th substantive Vice-Chancellor of the University, despite a boycott by some members of the institution’s governing council.
The appointment was announced during the 77th extraordinary meeting of the Council on Tuesday, 31st December 2024.
According to Dr. Habib Yakoob, Acting Director of Information and University Relations at the institution, the appointment takes effect on 1 January 2025 and is for a non-renewable five-year tenure.
He said, “Maikudi emerged as the best among 10 shortlisted candidates and was interviewed by the Joint Council and Senate Selection Board of the University, in line with the extant regulations governing the process.”
Before being appointed the substantive Vice-Chancellor, Professor Aisha Sani Maikudi served in an acting capacity from 5th July 2024. During this period, she worked closely with the Governing Council to stabilise the University through a challenging crisis, demonstrating exceptional leadership and commitment.
Born on 31st January 1983 in Katsina State, Professor Maikudi is a distinguished scholar and professor of International Law at the University of Abuja.
Her educational journey began at Sacred Heart School, Kaduna, where she obtained her First School Leaving Certificate (FSLC) in 1993. She proceeded to Queens College, Yaba, Lagos, earning her West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) in 1999.
Maikudi’s academic excellence took her to the University of Reading, where she earned an LLB in 2004. She further specialised in Public International Law, obtaining an LLM from the London School of Economics and Political Science in 2005. After completing her legal education at the Nigerian Law School (2006–2007), she pursued and obtained a PhD in International Law from the University of Abuja in 2015.
She joined the University of Abuja as a Lecturer II on 4th September 2008 and rose to become a professor in 2021.
Maikudi broke barriers as the first female Head of Department in 2013, the first female Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Law in 2018, and the pioneer Director of the University of Abuja International Centre in 2019. She also served as the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), instrumental in enhancing academic standards and promoting a culture of excellence at the University.
An innovator in her field, she introduced the ‘United Nations Law course at the University of Abuja in 2019, backed by extensive research and numerous publications in academic journals and book chapters. She is also highly experienced in supervising theses and dissertations, contributing to the growth of legal scholarship.
Maikudi has represented her university and country at numerous national and international conferences, workshops, and training sessions across the UK, US, South Africa, Germany, Italy, China, Ghana, and Egypt. She has presented papers at many of these events, further solidifying her global reputation as an academic leader.
The new Vice-Chancellor is an active member of several professional organisations, including the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), the Nigerian Law Teachers Association (NLTA), the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), and the Nigerian Society of International Law.
The statement added that her tenure promises a new era of progress and transformation for the University of Abuja.
Meanwhile, LEADERSHIP earlier reported that in a final meeting to announce her appointment, some external members of the University’s Governing Council boycotted the meeting with the Chairman of the Governing Council, Air Vice Marshal Saddiq Ismaila Kaita, over the appointment of a substantive Vice-Chancellor.
It was gathered that Kaita had called for the Council meeting late Monday to appoint a substantive Vice-Chancellor by 3:00 pm on Tuesday.
However, a source close to the university said the external members were unaware of the chairman’s decision because he could not produce an agenda before the meeting.
The source, who pleaded anonymity, stated that the law was clear about the selection and appointment of the Vice-Chancellor and that the Chairman was not following due process.
According to the source, the law states that any interview conducted for the selection of Vice-Chancellors is null and void unless the chairman, two council members who are not members of the Senate, and two representatives of the Senate who are not members of the Council are present.
“There is no provision for just one Senate representative or four members. The issue of a quorum does not arise. All the members must be present,” the source said.
The external Council members who boycotted the meeting include Prof. Raphael Akinfeleye, representing the South West; Mrs. Chisom Dorcas Obih, representing the South East; and Ahaji Sabo Bappayo Ahmed, representing the North East.
Recall that 67 professors stormed the Ministry of Education on Monday and submitted a protest letter to the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, urging him to dissolve the council and start afresh in accordance with due process as prescribed by the law, conventions, and traditions governing public universities.
The professors alleged that the Chairman rejected over 27 internal and 60 external applications—87 in total—and invited only three persons to favour his preferred candidate, the Acting Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Aisha Maikudi, despite her alleged lack of qualifications.
According to them, the council was improperly constituted, with internal members allegedly handpicked by the immediate past Vice-Chancellor, Professor AbdulRasheed Na’Allah, during a strike by the institution’s Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) chapter.
The professors also criticised the inclusion of a representative from the Federal Ministry of Education and a businesswoman on the council, asserting that these individuals lacked the expertise required to uphold quality assurance in higher education governance.
According to the petition, a key criterion for the Vice-Chancellor position, such as a minimum of ten years of professorial experience, was allegedly disregarded in the advertisement for the post of Vice-Chancellor published in newspapers in August 2024. The petition added that the Acting Vice-Chancellor had only two years of experience as a professor, lacked scholarly visibility, and had weak academic credentials.
The aggrieved academics also called for the dissolution of the Governing Council and the establishment of a new body to oversee the selection process. They urged the Education Minister to nullify all decisions the current council made and warned that failure to act would set a dangerous precedent for other universities.
“We have lost total faith and confidence in the Governing Council to be fair and just in producing the best and most qualified Vice Chancellor for the University.
“Thus, we urge you to take immediate corrective action to restore the integrity of the process by dissolving the Governing Council, declaring their proceedings null and void, and reconstituting a new Governing Council to superintend a fresh and free process that will lead to the appointment of a substantive Vice-Chancellor for the University of Abuja.
“Honourable Minister, Sir, failure to address these concerns will have far-reaching consequences for the University and the higher education system in Nigeria, as other Governing Councils will gladly emulate this ugly and unfortunate path taken by the University of Abuja Governing Council,” the letter read.
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