Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi Branch as alleged that Management of the Institution is using the absence of the Council to perpetuate illegality even in the face of unambiguous provisions of the Laws.
The allegation was made by the ATBU Branch of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) during a press conference held at its Secretariat at the Yelwa Campus on Monday titled: ‘The Advertisement of Vacancy for the Post of Vice Chancellor in ATBU Bauchi: An Illegality.’
He stated that ASUU ATBU finds the move very disturbing and unbecoming of the Management of ATBU Bauchi in using the absence of the Council to perpetuate illegality even in the face of unambiguous provisions of the Laws.
The ASUU branch Chairperson added that, “This attitudes of abusing the University Laws by the University Management has gradually become a norm. For example, the University Management in disregard to all extant Laws and the University Council’s directives that all Principal Officers who are in acting capacity should not exceed six months in that capacity and should be replaced by the next most senior Officer in the Unit if the vacancy is not yet properly filled.”
“Nonetheless, the University Management violated this directive by allowing the current acting Registrar and other offices to be holding office for more than one year and counting. The Registrar, who is the supposed Custodian of the University Laws is unfortunately accommodating illegality,” he declared.
According to him, “Another display of impunity by the University Management is the appointment of an acting Bursar who in the last Presidential Visitation Panel White paper’s report was indicted for refusing to honour the invitation of the Panel.”
Ibrahim Ibrahim stressed that,”In fact, the University Management knowing fully well that there is no Council in place went ahead to sign contracts and illegally employ staff into the University even when it knows that such powers solely rests with the University Council.”
He also said that,” ASUU is so worried how a substantive Vice Chancellor who derives his powers from the Laws establishing Public Universities will stand so low to violate the Laws and allow nepotism and impunity to guide his judgement.”
Addressing Journalists on behalf of the Executive Members of ASUU, Ibrahim Ibrahim Inuwa (PhD), Chairperson, of the ATBU Bauch declared that, “The advertisement of the vacancy for the post of Vice Chancellor in Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi (Internal & External Advertisement) published on Sunday January 13th, 2024 in Leadership Weekend Newspaper has got tongues wagging within and outside the University Community due to the absence of the University Council.”
According to him,”The Union vehemently rejects this illegality because it runs counter to any relevant Law governing the University.”
He stressed that, “The said advertisement signed by the Acting Registrar (Custodian of the Law) of the University, Hajiya Aisha Idris stated that the advertisement is at the behest of the Honourable Minister of Education: “The Hon. Minister, Federal Ministry of Education hereby announces that the position of the Vice Chancellor of the University shall be vacant by the end of April, 2024”.
Ibrahim Ibrahim added that, “The advertisement further stated that “Pursuant to the provisions of the Universities (Miscellaneous Provisiens) Act, 1993 as amended, is hereby initiating the process of filling the impending vacancy.”
The ASUU Branch Chairperson stressed further that, “The Union is worried with the misapplication of the provisions of the Universities (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1993 as amended. The provisions of the Act never vested the powers of the advertisement of vacancy for the post of Vice Chancellor with the Hon. Minister of Education nor with the Registrar of the University.”
According to him,”The aforementioned provisions of the Universities (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1993 as amended, are also reinforced by the ATBU Bauchi Conditions of Service as reflected in Chapter 16: Appointment of Principal Officers of the University, Subsection A: Appointment of Vice Chancellor.”
“In fact, the Universities (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1993 as amended, as well as the ATBU Bauchi Conditions of Service are unequivocally clear on what should happen in an event there is a vacancy in the Vice Chancellor’s post,” he added.
He explained that,”The Universities (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1993 as amended, Part A (A83-A84) section 2-4 states that “(2) Where a vacancy occurs in the post of a Vice Chancellor, the Council shall: Advertise the vacancy in a reputable journal or a widely read newspaper in Nigeria, specifying There are no circumstances whatsoever in neither the spirit nor the letters of all the University Laws where anybody else rather than the Council, is given the powers to appoint a substantive Vice Chancellor.”
“However in an abnormal situation, the Law allows the University Senate to appoint an acting Vice Chancellor to hold the office for a maximum
period of six months. This position is clearly spelt out in Chapter 16 Subsection A (b) xi-xi of the ATBU Conditions of Service,” he added.
ASUU therefore called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who is the Visitor to all Federal Universities in Nigeria to earnestly and accordingly use his noble office to ensure that Governing Councils of Universities are restored immediately.
Also, the Minister of Education as the supervisor of the Universities has been called to ensure that the Universities are run according to the Laws of the land and other relevant laws in order to protect what remains in the sanctity of Public Universities in Nigeria.
He was also urged to immediately halting the illegally started process of appointment of a Vice Chancellor for the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi.