The Federal Government has directed the outgoing Vice-Chancellors (VCs) in federal universities to nominate their deputies to temporarily serve as Acting Vice- Chancellors.
This was conveyed by the National Universities Commission (NUC) in a letter to the outgoing Vice-Chancellors, which was dated May 28, 2024.
The letter signed by the Acting Executive Secretary of the NUC, Mr. Chris J. Maiyaki, said the move was prompted by a directive from the Federal Ministry of Education (FME), which duly notified the Commission on the end of tenure of some Vice- Chancellors.
While saying the appointment of the Acting Vice-Chancellors should be done through the recommendations of the Universities’ Senates, the NUC said the soon-to-be inaugurated Governing Councils of the Universities would appoint Acting Vice- Chancellors after their inauguration.
A copy of the letter reads in full: “I write, further to previous communication Ref. No. NUC/ES/138/Vol. 65/88 and dated 27th May 2024, to convey the directive of the Federal Ministry of Education, vide its letter Ref. No. FME/TE/CỰ/130/T6/458 and dated 28th May 2024 (copy attached), to the effect that the Vice- Chancellors of the Federal Universities, who are rounding up their tenures are to nominate, through the recommendation of their Senates, a Deputy Vice-Chancellor that will oversee the office of the Vice-Chancellor in a temporary capacity.
“The Governing Councils, after their inauguration, will appoint Acting Vice-Chancellors for a period not less than 6 months, during which they will commence the process of appointing the substantive Vice-Chancellors.
This circular takes pre-eminence over our earlier communication on the same subject. Please, accept the assurances of my highest considerations always,” the letter reads.
It would be recalled that in matter of days the tenures of the Vice-Chancellors of federal universities, including those of Nnamdi Azikiwe University (NAU) Awka, Professor Charles Esimene; University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), Professor Charles Igwe and University of Abuja (UNIABUJA), Professor Abdallah N’Állah, among others, would soon elapse.