President Bola Tinubu has dissolved the governing council of Yakubu Gowon University (formerly UniAbuja) and removed Professor Aisha Maikudi as Vice-Chancellor with immediate effect.
Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, announced the changes in a statement on Thursday, titled ‘President Tinubu announces leadership overhaul at Federal Universities.’
To replace Maikudi, Tinubu appointed Professor Patricia Manko as Acting Vice-Chancellor for a six-month term. “She (Prof. Manko) will not be eligible to apply for the substantive Vice-Chancellor position when it becomes available,” Onanuga said.
Senator Lanre Tejuoso, currently Pro-Chancellor at the University of Agriculture, Makurdi, will take over as Pro-Chancellor of Yakubu Gowon University. Senator Joy Emordi will succeed him in Makurdi.
In addition, President Tinubu removed Professor Polycarp Chigbu from his role as Acting Vice-Chancellor of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, before his tenure ends on February 14. Professor Oguejiofu Ujam has been appointed to succeed him for six months, with Ujam also ineligible to apply for the permanent position.
The leadership changes at UNN also include the reappointment of General Ike Nwachukwu as Pro-Chancellor of the University of Uyo. Tinubu appointed Olubunmi Ojo as the new Pro-Chancellor of UNN. Ojo had previously held similar positions at Federal Universities in Lokoja and Oye-Ekiti.
Furthermore, Professor Zubairu Abdullahi will replace Ojo at the Federal University of Lokoja, while Senator Sani Stores, a Council Member at UNN, becomes the new Pro-Chancellor of Alvan Ikoku University of Education.
Olugbenga Kukoyi, another Council Member at UNN, has been appointed Pro-Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University in Awka.
“All appointments and reassignments are effective immediately,” Onanuga said, adding that the restructuring aims to strengthen governance and academic excellence in Nigeria’s tertiary education system.
