The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Gombe State University branch, has raised serious concerns about what it describes as a disregard for the institution’s established laws in the appointment of a Vice-Chancellor.
At a press conference on Tuesday, the union criticized the recent actions of the Gombe State Government, particularly Governor Muhammadu Yahaya, for appointing Professor Sani Yauta as the acting Vice-Chancellor on October 16, 2024.
This decision allegedly ignored the three nominees previously submitted by the university’s Governing Council on September 14, 2024, as part of the established selection process.
ASUU representatives, led by Branch Chairperson Suleiman Jauro and Secretary Mustapha Muhammad, emphasized that the appointment violated the Gombe State University Laws of 2018.
According to these laws, the Vice-Chancellor position is to be filled for a single five-year tenure through the recommendation of three nominees submitted by the Governing Council to the institution’s visitor, the state governor.
Jauro described the appointment of an acting Vice-Chancellor as a “flagrant violation of university laws,” warning that this decision could jeopardize the university’s operations and stability. “The appointment of an acting Vice-Chancellor put the University and its activities in grave danger,” Jauro stated.
The union also expressed dismay at the government’s decision to re-advertise the Vice-Chancellor position, effectively discarding the original selection process.
Jauro added, “More worrisome is the fact that the University’s Governing Council’s tenure would elapse by January 17, 2025, at a time the receipt of applications for the re-advertised post of Vice-Chancellor would only have ended 3 days earlier.
“At this juncture, the questions to ask the authorities responsible for these violations are: Would a Council whose tenure has elapsed continue to superintendent the appointment of a Vice-Chancellor? Would a new Council be asked to continue from where its predecessor would stop? Won’t having two Councils to manage the process of appointing a Vice-Chancellor rub off on the appointee and his/her capacity to run the University? Was this confusion necessary for the University?
“Why is it so important that the last Council-completed process be truncated by a body saddled with the task of maintaining law and order in the University? Our Union maintains that these embarrassing scenarios in the University were needless and avoidable. Adhering to the provisions of the University laws would avert a lawless lawless situation in which individuals may want to resort to self-help to advance personal interests.
“We, therefore call on respected traditional rulers, religious leaders, and others to prevail on the Government to relevant stakeholders and University by revisiting the earlier recommendation of the Council and appoint anyone it deemed fit as substantive Vice-Chancellor of the University.”
