Nigerian Govt Dismisses 13 University Heads... Human Rights Group Protests

'Vice Chancellor of National Open University of Nigeria Prof. Vincent Tenebe dismissed by The Federal Government of Nigeria. Prof. Abdalla Uba Adamu appointed new Vice Chancellor NOUN'

Vice Chancellors of 13 other federal institutions established by the previous government also fired ... No reason given
-  Human Rights Group protests

 
 Mallam Adamu Adamu Minister of Education, Nigeria

The Vice Chancellor of the National Open University of Nigeria NOUN, Prof. Vincent Tenebe. Has been dismissed by The Federal Government of Nigeria. Prof. Abdalla Uba Adamu of the Department of Mass Communication, Bayero University, Kano has been appointed as the new Vice Chancellor of the institution Also affected are the Vice Chancellors of 13 other federal institutions established by the previous government. No reason was given yet, for the government's actions.

In a statement issue in Abuja, on Saturday, the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu said President Muhammadu Buhari, had approved the appointment of new Vice Chancellors for the Universities. The affected institutions and the newly appointed Vice Chancellors have been listed as:
Federal University, Wukari, Taraba State = Prof. Mohammed Kundir, formerly Vice Chancellor of the Federal University, Dutse, Jigawa State.

Federal University, Oye-Ekiti, Ekiti - Prof. Kayode Soremekun, forner Head, Department of International Relations at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife,

Federal University, Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State -  Prof. Auwal Yadudu of the Faculty of Law, Bayero University, Kano

Federal University, Dutse, Jigawa State - Prof. Fatima Batoul Muktar of the Department of Biology, North West University, Kano

Federal University, Dutsin Ma, Katsina State - Prof. Haruna Abdu Kaita of  the Department of Pharmacy, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria,

Federal University, Gashua, Yobe State. -Prof. Andrew Haruna of the Department of Linguistics, University of Jos

Federal University, Gusau, Zamfara State - Prof. Magaji Garba of Department of Pharmacy, ABU, Zaria, will now be VC in 

Federal University, Kashere in Gombe State  - Prof. Alhassan Mohammed Gani of the Institute of Maritime Studies, in the same University.

Federal University, Lafia - Prof. Muhammad Sanusi Liman of the the Department of Physics, has been appointed Vice Chancellor,

Federal University, Lokoja - Prof. Angela Freeman Miri of the Linguistics Department, UNIJOS, 

The Federal University, Ndifu-Alike Ebonyi State - Prof. Chinedum Nwajiuba of the Post-Graduate School, Imo State University,

Federal University, Otuoke, Bayelsa State - Prof. Seth Accra Jaja of the Department of Management, University of Port Harcourt

However, the decision to fire Prof. Vincent Tenebe has sparked a backlash, with claims from some stake holders claiming only the Governing Council of NOUN, of which Mr Tenebe is a member, had the authority to remove him from office.
A human rights organisation, Coalition of Civil Society Groups (CCSG) is protested against the dismissal. In a letter to President Buhari, CCSG is demanding the reversal of the decision to remove  Prof.Tenebe

The CCSG in its protest letter to Buhari signed by its President, Etuk Bassey Williams and Secretary-General, Ibrahim Abubakar, said the action contravenes the provisions of the Universities (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act No.11 of 1993 (as amended) by decree No.25, 1996 and further amended in 2003 and 2012 respectively and other agreements as contained in the 2009 FGN staff union agreement.
Pointing out that four of the twelve appointed VCs are from Kano University, an action they said, was a clear violation of the federal character principle.They blamed the decision on the influence of one of the Special Advisers to the Minister of Education to favor friends and cronies without following due process.

The Human Rights group expressed concerns: “The constitution is quite clear on the procedures to be followed in the appointment and disengagement of Vice Chancellors and none of these procedures were followed in the above case.

“The appointment of Vice Chancellors is a tenured appointment, which presupposes that every appointee is expected to serve the prescribed number of years as stipulated by the Acts governing the institutions.

The organisation regretted that none of the Vice Chancellors were allowed to complete their tenures and were all removed without following due process of the law.