President Tinubu Shakes Up Leadership in Federal Universities, Removes UniAbuja VC

In a sweeping move to restructure leadership in federal universities, President Bola Tinubu has removed Aisha Maikudi as the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Abuja (UniAbuja), recently renamed Yakubu Gowon University.

The decision, announced in a statement on Thursday by Bayo Onanuga, the president’s special adviser on information and strategy, comes as part of significant governance changes in the country’s higher education sector.

The leadership overhaul at UniAbuja follows a series of controversies surrounding its governing council and the process leading to Maikudi’s appointment.

In December 2024, a governing council led by retired Air Vice Marshal Saddiq Ismaila Kaita approved Maikudi’s appointment as the university’s VC in what critics described as a flawed selection process. Stakeholders in academia raised concerns over her eligibility, alleging that key selection criteria were overlooked to favor a preferred candidate.

Before her official appointment as VC on January 1, 2025, Maikudi served as the acting Vice-Chancellor from July 5, 2024. However, her tenure was clouded by disputes, culminating in a petition from a group of professors on December 24, 2024, calling for the dissolution of the governing council. The petitioners accused the council’s chairman of disregarding over 87 applications to favor three specific candidates, a move they claimed undermined transparency and due process.

The controversy intensified after allegations surfaced that the advertised requirements for the position failed to meet established criteria, particularly the stipulated ten years of professorial experience. Maikudi, at the time of her appointment, had reportedly only served as a professor for just over two years.

The leadership shakeup extends beyond UniAbuja, affecting several other federal universities across Nigeria.

At the University of Agriculture in Makurdi, Benue State, the current pro-chancellor, Lanre Tejuoso, has been reassigned to UniAbuja (Yakubu Gowon University). Meanwhile, Joy Emordi, previously the pro-chancellor of Alvan Ikoku University of Education, will now assume Tejuoso’s former role in Makurdi.

Replacing Maikudi at Yakubu Gowon University is Lar Patricia Manko, who will serve as acting Vice-Chancellor for six months. However, Manko will not be eligible to apply for the substantive VC position when it becomes available.

President Tinubu has also removed Polycarp Emeka Chigbu as acting VC of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN). His tenure, set to expire on February 14, will be succeeded by Oguejiofu Ujam, who will serve for six months under similar eligibility restrictions for permanent appointment.

Additionally, the UNN’s pro-chancellor, Ike Nwachukwu, has been reassigned to the University of Uyo, with Olubunmi Kayode Ojo appointed as the new pro-chancellor at UNN. Ojo previously held the same role at the Federal University of Lokoja and the Federal University of Oye-Ekiti.

Meanwhile, Zubairu Tajo Abdullahi, formerly pro-chancellor at the University of Uyo, has taken over Ojo’s position at the Federal University of Lokoja.

Sani Stores as the new pro-chancellor of Alvan Ikoku University of Education, replacing Joy Emordi. Olugbenga Kukoyi, a council member at UNN, is the new pro-chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State.

President Tinubu emphasized that these leadership changes aim to revitalize Nigeria’s higher education system, ensuring accountability and efficiency. By appointing fresh leadership, the government seeks to promote a culture of excellence in university administration and address governance concerns raised by stakeholders.

The restructuring takes effect immediately, marking a decisive step in the administration’s broader agenda to reform Nigeria’s tertiary education landscape.