The Federal Government, on Tuesday, called for restraint among warring parties in the leadership transition at the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria.
Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Arc. Sonny Echono, while reacting to the leadership tussle rocking the institution in a statement in Abuja, confirmed that the Ministry has been fully informed about the developments in the school.
The succession crisis was aggravated when barely two weeks after the emergence of Professor Kabiru Bala as the new Vice-Chancellor of ABU and about two months to the expiration of the tenure of the outgoing Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Ibrahim Garba, the Malam Adamu Fika-led Governing Council of the University had directed Professor Garba to proceed on terminal leave effective from 1st of March, 2020.
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Echono, however, in a statement signed by the Deputy Director, Press, Mr Ben Bem Goong, said the Ministry was informed of the circumstances leading to the directive by the Governing Council of ABU Zaria to the outgoing Vice-Chancellor to proceed on leave of his terminal date of 30/04/2020.
He acknowledged that it was within the powers and authority of the Council to direct Garba to proceed on terminal leave.
The statement said: “Acknowledging that it is within the powers of the Governing Council to direct the Vice-Chancellor to enjoy his accumulated earned leave, the Ministry considered it unfortunate that this purely administrative matter has been escalated beyond proportion.
“Accordingly, all parties to the matter have been advised to exercise restraint in the interest of the University,” it said.
