……says actions taken by Yauta null, void
The Academic Staff Union of Universities, Gombe State University branch, on Tuesday expressed concern over the continuous violations of the Gombe State University laws in the appointment of Vice-Chancellor in acting capacity.
PERISCOPE NIGERIA reports that Governor Muhammadu Yahaya, on October 16 2024 appointed Professor Sani Yauta as acting Vice Chancellor of the institution.
Neglecting the three nominees presented to him by the governing council on 14th September, 2024 for Yauta, says GSU-ASUU.
The union disclosed that Gombe State University laws (2018) provide for the office of the Vice-Chancellor to be held for a single tenure of 5 years, with the Governing Council submitting three nominees to the visitor for appointment.
Chairperson of the branch Suleiman Jauro, and Secretary Mustapha Muhammad, in a press briefing claimed that the government violated these laws by appointing an acting Professor Sani Yauta, Vice-Chancellor instead of a substantive one.
“The action of the Council was not only a flagrant violation of the University laws; the appointment of an acting Vice-Chancellor put the University and its activities in grave danger,” said Jauro.
The union also alleged that the government has re-advertised the post of Vice-Chancellor, truncating the earlier completed process, adding “This arbitrary truncation of the process represents a bad antecedent in the governance of Gombe State University.”
GSU-ASUU called on respected traditional rulers, religious leaders, and other stakeholders to prevail on the government to revisit the earlier recommendation of the Council and appoint a substantive Vice-Chancellor, “We, therefore, call on the government to do the needful and appoint a substantive Vice-Chancellor to avoid further confusion and embarrassment to the University,” Jauro added.
Speaking further the union decried the bewilderment of the council over the turn of events noting that they are wondering how the re-commenced process would be completed without its input as the University’s Senate has a critical role to play in the process of appointing a Vice-Chancellor for the University.
Jauro added, “More worrisome is the fact that the University’s Governing Council’s tenure would elapse by 17th January, 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 in order to advance personal interests.
“We, therefore call on respected traditional rulers, religious leaders, other prevail on the Government to relevant stakeholders and University by revisiting the earlier recommendation of the Council and appoint anyone it deemed fit as s substantive Vice-Chancellor of the University.”
Full-Text: Being the text of a Press conference by the Chairperson, Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Gombe State University branch on the continuous violations of the Gombe State University Laws over the appointment of a Vice-Chancellor for Gombe State University, Gombe.
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Gombe State University branch wishes to draw the attention of lovers of the University and members of the of appointment of a Vice-Chancellor for the University following the exit of the University’s 3rd Vice-Chancellor on 17th October, 2024.
Before delving into the substantive issues of violation of the University Jaws, it is pertinent to provide a background to the issues.
The Background.
The Gombe State University laws (2018) as amended provides in first schedule section 6-7 for the office of the Vice-Chancellor of the University and that he shall hold office for a single tenure of 5 years. The law also provides that the Governing Council shall send 3 nominees to the Visitor who is to appoint one person from the nominees as a Vice-Chancellor of the University.
Furthermore, the current Governing Council of the University inaugurated on 18th January, 2021 with tenure of 4 years commenced the process of appointing the next Vice-Chancellor with the release of advertisement on July, 24th 2024. This process reached its climax with the Council having submitted its recommendation of 3 nominees to the Visitor on 14th September, 2024.
The Issues
As against the expected decision of the Government to appoint one of the 3 as the substantive Vice-Chancellor of the University: the in rather melodramatic manner announced the appointment of recommended applicants Governing council an acting Vice-Chancellor for the University on 16th October, 2024. The action of the Council was not only a flagrant violation of the University laws; the appointment of an acting Vice-Chancellor put the University and its activities in grave danger as that appointment makes a mockery of everything the University represents. The Union immediately called the attention of the Government to do needful we were waiting for the Council recommendations and appoint a substantive Vice-Chancellor.
However, the Union was to later see re-advertisement of the post of Vice-Chancellor as directed by the Council on 2nd December, 2024 and the request for new applications. The release Council on advertisement pointed towards the truncation of the earlier completed process. This arbitrary truncation of the process represents a bad antecedent in the governance of Gombe State University. Members of the University’s Senate are bewildered over the turn of events and are wondering how the re-commenced process would be completed without its input as the University’s Senate has a critical role to play in the process of appointing a Vice-Chancellor for the University. More worrisome is the fact that the University’s Governing Council’s tenure would elapse by 17th January, 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 2 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 in order to advance personal interests. We, therefore call on respected traditional rulers, religious leaders, other prevail on the Government to relevant stakeholders and University by revisiting the earlier recommendation of the Council and appoint anyone it deemed fit as s substantive Vice-Chancellor of the University.