The Federal Government has suspended indefinitely the proposed special meeting of the governing of the University of Ibadan for the selection of the substantive Vice-Chancellor of the premier university.
Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, ordered the suspension of the council meeting as conveyed by Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Arc. Sonny Echono, in a letter, addressed to the Executive Secretary of National Universities Commission (NUC), Professor Abdul-Rasheed Abubakar and dated February 8, 2021, which was sighted by Tribune Online.
Adamu urged the NUC boss to take necessary action to ensure immediate compliance with the Minister’s directives by the University.
Director, Press and Public Relations of the Ministry, Mr Ben Bem Goong, when contacted, confirmed that the letter emanated from the Ministry going by the language and circumstances surrounding the selection of a new Vice-Chancellor for the University of Ibadan.
He said even though he could not confirm this directly from the Permanent Secretary who signed the letter as his mobile line was unreachable and text message to his phone was yet to be responded to, “going by the language of the letter and circumstances surrounding the selection process of a new Vice-Chancellor for the University, I can confirm to you that that letter is from the Ministry.”
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The letter reads in part: “I write with reference to your letter No. NUC/ES/334/Vol. 125/200 dated 8th February, 2021 on the above subject and to convey the Honourable Minister’s approval for the Governing Council and management of the University of Ibadan to suspend at once, any further meetings of the Governing Council pending further
communication from the Ministry.
“You are to take necessary action to ensure immediate compliance with the Honourable Minister’s directives by the University.”
The University of Ibadan has been enmeshed crisis following attempt to appoint a new Vice-Chancellor to replace the outgone VC, Prof Idowu Olayinka, whose five-year-tenure ended on Monday, November 30.
Recall that Adamu in his reaction to numerous petitions against the initial selection process for a new Vice-Chancellor for the University, had ordered for a fresh selection process.
The selection process for another VC had created prolonged impasse among stakeholders on the campus including management, governing council and staff unions.
However, the institution’s Deputy Vice Chancellor, Professor Babatunde Ekanola, was eventually elected as Acting Vice Chancellor (VC) of the university by the Senate to head the institution for six months.
It was gathered, on Tuesday, in Abuja, that the management of the National Universities Commission, actually asked for the approval of the Minister to suspend the fresh selection process for reason that could not be immediately ascertained.
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