In a recent development, the Federal Government has instructed outgoing vice-chancellors in federal universities to nominate their deputies to serve temporarily as acting vice-chancellors. The directive, conveyed by the National Universities Commission (NUC) in a letter dated May 28, 2024, aims to ensure continuity in university leadership following the end of tenure for some vice-chancellors.
The letter, signed by the acting Executive Secretary of NUC, Chris Maiyaki, cited a directive from the Federal Ministry of Education, which informed the commission about the conclusion of the tenure of certain vice-chancellors. It stipulated that the appointment of acting vice-chancellors should be based on recommendations from the universities’ senates.
According to the directive, the soon-to-be-inaugurated governing councils of the universities will subsequently appoint acting vice-chancellors for a period of not less than six months. During this interim period, the appointed acting vice-chancellors will oversee the affairs of the universities while the process of appointing substantive vice-chancellors commences.
The letter emphasized that this directive supersedes any previous communication on the same subject, underscoring the importance of ensuring smooth transitions in university leadership.
It’s worth noting that this directive comes amidst ongoing tensions between some outgoing vice-chancellors and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) regarding the appointment of substantive vice-chancellors. As federal universities navigate this transitional period, stakeholders will be closely watching the implementation of these directives to ensure the continued stability and effective governance of these institutions.
