By Busari Kabirat
The Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU)’s management has declined breaching the law in the process of restoring the vacant office of the Vice Chancellor to-be of the University.
The University management stand firm on the issue that the due process was precisely followed in the vacancy advertisement.
However, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), in the school had formerly accused the management of the University for disobeying the school’s law governing the appointment of a new vice-chancellor in the versity and also allowing certain principal officers to remain in acting positions beyond the scheduled six-month period, which is unlawful to the versity’s law
The assertions were made known at the press conference held in Yelwa Campus on Monday titled ‘The Advertisement of Vacancy for the Post of Vice Chancellor in ATBU Bauchi: An Illegality.’
Zailani Bappa, who is the Directorate of Information of the University, has reacted to the assertions on Tuesday said, the University Management had never breached any law guiding the appointment of new Vice-chancellor of the versity.
He said, “Yes, currently there’s no Governing Council in place. In its absence, the Minister of Education assumes the Council’s duties until a new Council is established,” he stated.
“For instance, ASUU itself has remained relatively silent on various issues during this period without a Council, focusing mainly on Vice-Chancellor appointments as their primary concern.”
“In the absence of the Council, promotions were still carried out across all universities. Even during the recent Convocation, all communication regarding the event was coordinated through the Minister of Education, despite the convocation being under the jurisdiction of the Chancellor.”
“It’s important to understand that while the Council is responsible for staff employment, promotion, and discipline, in its absence, these responsibilities fall to the Minister of Education.”
He added, “Yes, there may be acting officers appointed, but after six months, if no substantive officer is appointed, the acting appointment can be renewed for another six months.”
The Director of Information further said, “All these procedures are done in the absence of the Governing Council, it can be started and concluded with the Minister of Education supervising the process on behalf of the Federal Government, don’t forget that the Universities belong to the Federal Government and it can reconstitute the Council at any time it deems fit and necessary.”
“Because of that, the advertisement that was placed was done in order in accordance with the law because, 6 months before the expiration of the tenure of the Vice Chancellor, the announcement must be published, that is the law.”
