ASUU can’t dictate to FG on Governing Councils appointments, says Obono-Obla
Kunle Sanni
A former presidential aide, Obono-Obla Okoi has stated that the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) does not have the authority to determine the appointments to University Governing Councils.
As a lawyer and former Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Assets Recovery, Obono-Obla has been actively voicing his concerns about the controversies surrounding the recently appointed governing council members.
The national president of ASUU, Emmanuel Osodeke expressed his disappointment in an exclusive interview with the Nigerian Tribune as regarding the newly appointed governing council members for federal universities in the country.
Osodeke stated that the composition of the list is worse than the previous one, emphasizing that most people on the list are “retired politicians” rather than technocrats.
But in his reaction, Obono-Obla who is also an APC stalwart stated that the statute establishing federal universities contains the procedure on how members of their various Governing Councils should be appointed by President Bola Tinubu
He noted that the hue and cry by ASUU, over the appointment of meetings of the governing Council of universities by President Tinubu is totally misplaced.
He said, “My point is that appointment of the membership of the Governing Councils doesn’t require the appointment of only technocrats, as suggested by ASUU.
Anybody can be appointed into the Council, as long as he fulfills the criterion spelled out in the statute, establishing the universities he has been appointed into.
It is the prerogative of Tinubu to appoint anybody of his choice into any appointment as long as he meets with the condition(s) stipulated by the law.
Section 5 (a-h) of the University of Calabar Act 2004 provides as follows:
The Council of the University shall consist of:
(a) the Pro-Chancellor;
(b) the Vice-Chancellor;
(c) the Deputy Vice-Chancellors;
(d) one person from the Ministry responsible for Education;
(e) nine persons representing a variety of interests and broadly representative of the whole Federation to be appointed by the President;
(f) four persons appointed by the Senate from among its members;
(g) two persons appointed by the Congregation from among its members;
(h) one person appointed by Convocation from among its members.
Section 5 (e) of the University of Calabar Act,2004 is quite instructive.
It prescribes the method or the quality of people that should be appointed into the governing council by Tinubu.
Tinubu is required to appoint nine persons representing a variety of interests and broadly representative of the whole Federation.
No special qualification is stated and is required as long as the appointment reflects a variety of interests and broadly representative of the whole Federation.
Therefore, Tinubu has satisfied the requirements laid by the law for the appointment of members of the universities belonging to the Federal government of Nigeria.
The impression that the political class doesn’t have within its fold Technocrats is misplaced.
