Members of the University of Abuja Senate have filed a petition to the Minister of Education, alleging irregularities in the appointment of Professor Aisha Maikudi as the university’s substantive Vice-Chancellor. In their petition dated January 20, they accused the Governing Council of breaching the guidelines set by the Federal Ministry of Education for such appointments.
The professors claimed that the council failed to adhere to the four-step process outlined in the ministry’s guidelines. Specifically, they argued that Prof. Maikudi did not meet the minimum requirement of 10 years of experience as a professor.
The petition, signed by 43 professors, included claims that the council overstepped its authority by setting up an unlawful committee to handle the selection process. This committee allegedly created its own scoring criteria and presented results to the selection board, bypassing established procedures.
“In August 2024, a subsequent advertisement called for additional applications but failed to nullify the original criteria from March,” the petition stated. “During the shortlisting process, the advertised requirements were ignored. Despite receiving nearly 90 applications, Prof. Aisha Maikudi, with only two years of experience as a professor and a Google Scholar h-index ranking of zero, was declared the winner.”
The petitioners also accused the Governing Council of undermining the integrity of the process by disregarding the role of the selection board. They argued that this behavior demonstrated “incompetence of the highest order” and called for the immediate dissolution and reconstitution of the council.
“It is clear that the University of Abuja has shown total disregard for rules and procedures. We have lost faith in the Governing Council and urge the Minister of Education to take corrective action to restore the process’s integrity,” the petition stated.
The professors submitted documentary evidence, including the Federal Ministry of Education’s guideline handbook from November 2023, to support their claims. They are demanding a fresh and transparent appointment process to ensure fairness and compliance with established rules.
As of now, the Ministry of Education has yet to respond to the allegations. The controversy continues to raise questions about accountability and governance in higher education institutions.
