June 17, (THEWILL)- The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has faulted the fresh list of chairmen and members of the governing councils of federal universities, polytechnics and colleges of education in the country.
The Federal Government, on Friday, unveiled the list, which had the former governor of Osun State and pioneer chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bisi Akande, appointed chairman of the Governing Council of the University of Ibadan (UI), Oyo State.
Also, renowned lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Wole Olanipekun, was appointed to lead Lagos University (UNILAG); a former Governor of Bauchi State, Isa Yuguda, who will chair the governing council of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) and a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Yayale Ahmed, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria (ABU). Joy Emordi, a former senator, was also appointed to chair the council of the Alvan Ikoku Federal University.
Speaking with the Nigerian Tribune, ASUU’s national president, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, said most people on the list are “retired politicians” and not technocrats.
“Go and look at the list again; you will see that most of them are retired politicians. They are honorable this and honorable that. What does that tell us? That is how terrible the thing has become. And we can’t run our universities like this if we truly want genuine development to take place”, he said.
THEWILL recalls that the earlier list of members of the reconstituted governing councils, which was released by the Federal Ministry of Education, was withdrawn following a directive by President Bola Tinubu to undertake a thorough review of the nominees.
The leadership of ASUU and some other stakeholders had faulted the list over alleged lopsidedness, among other considerations.
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