University Don Petitions Tinubu to Reconstitute UniAbuja Governing Council.
… says Current VC undermining University Act.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has received a petition to urgently reconstitute the Governing Council of University of Abuja, as the current Vice Chancellor, Professor Abdulrasheed Na’allah is using the absence of the Governing Council to undermine the University Act.
In a petition addressed to President Tinubu dated April 24, 2024 and received by the Presidency on April 25, 2024, the petitioner, Professor Okike Benjamin of the Faculty of Science, Department of Computer Science, University of Abuja appealed to President Tinubu that the Sole Administrator, Abdulrasheed Na’allah has been carrying out activities without checks and balances expected in the University.
The petition, sighted by our correspondent observed that going by the Public Service Rule (PSR) 100238, Abdulrasheed Na’allah’s tenure ended on 30th March, 2024, when he was expected to proceed on a one- month pre-retirement workshop and two months terminal leave.
The erudite professor noted that the absence of the Governing Council in University of Abuja has given the former Vice Chancellor, Abdulrashed Na’allah the window to hide under “taking permission from the Minister of Education” to carry out actions without proper financial regulations.
According to him, Some of his actions also violate human rights, adding that
all actions taken by the University of Abuja Sole Administrator after March 30, 2024 should be thoroughly investigated.
He posited that these actions are illegal based on Public Service Rules(PSR) no. 100238, insisting that they are not in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda and zero tolerance for corruption, being canvassed by the current administration of President Tinubu.
The petitioner urged President Tinubu to take prompt action to save the soul of University of Abuja in the Federal Capital Territory.
Meanwhile, our correspondent learnt on good sources that the impunity is being sustained due to the absence of the University Governing Board which had since been dissolved by the Federal Government.
Our findings indicate that University of Abuja is the only Federal University in the Federal Capital Territory, and that the Federal Character Commission should look into the appointments made by the former Sole Administrator, Abdulrasheed Na’allah to see if they comply with the Commission’s guidelines on equal representation from states in Nigeria, and if the appointments followed due processes of advertising, interviewing and selection of applicants based on performance.
The petitioner also noted that the greatest problem confronting us as nation is disobedience to rule of law and that is the reason why on August, 2023, Your Excellency ordered Aliyu Abubakar Aziz, the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the National Identity Management Commission, NIMC, to commence a 90-day pre-retirement leave. Similarly, on 15th of September, 2023, you instructed the former FIRS Chairman, Mr Muhammad Nami, who had been in office since December 2019, to promptly begin a three-month pre-retirement leave, as stipulated by Public Service Rule (PSR) 120243. Also, The National Assembly Service Commission asked the Clerk to the National Assembly, Olatunde Ojo, to proceed on a three-month terminal leave immediately in accordance with PSR 100238.
The President has on October 18, 2023 ordered the outgoing Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of National Hajji Commission of Nigeria, Alhaji Zikrullah Kunle Hassan, to proceed on three-months pre-retirement leave as provisioned by Public Service Rule (PSR) 120243.
Your Excellency Sir, I know that you believe in university autonomy and rule of law strongly and do not want to meddle in the affairs of University of Abuja Governing Council whose duty is to ensure that Na’Allah goes on a 3-months pre-retirement leave which was scheduled to have commenced on 30th March, 2024.
“Now, that Your Excellency is yet to reconstitute University of Abuja Governing Council, as the Visitor to University of Abuja, Your Excellency can direct the Sole Administrator, Abdulrasheed Na’Allah to proceed on his pre-retirement leave expected of all Chief Executive Officers in accordance with PSR”.
Efforts by our correspondent at physically reaching the Vice Chancellor to react to the petition were met with brick wall and calls to his personal lines were not answered as at the time of going to press.
