The Academic Staff Union of Universities, Gombe State University branch, on Tuesday, expressed concern over the continuous violations of the university’s laws in the appointment of the institution’s Vice-Chancellor.

Newsmen reports that Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Yahaya, on October 16, 2024, appointed Professor Sani Yauta, as acting Vice Chancellor of the institution, neglecting the three nominees presented to him by the governing council on September 14, 2024, for Yauta.

According to the union, the institution’s laws (2018) provide for the office of the Vice-Chancellor to be held for a single tenure of 5 years, with the Governing Council submitting 3 nominees to the visitor for appointment.

The chairperson of the branch, Suleiman Jauro, and Secretary, Mustapha Muhammad, in a press briefing, claimed that the government violated these laws by appointing an acting professor as Vice-Chancellor, instead of a substantive one.

“The action of the Council was not only a flagrant violation of the University laws; the appointment of an acting Vice-Chancellor put the University and its activities in grave danger,” Jauro said.

The union also alleged that the government has re-advertised the post of Vice-Chancellor, truncating the earlier completed process, adding “This arbitrary truncation of the process represents a bad antecedent in the governance of Gombe State University.”
ASUU called on respected traditional rulers, religious leaders, and other stakeholders to prevail on the government to revisit the earlier recommendation of the Council and appoint a substantive Vice-Chancellor, “We, therefore, call on the government to do the needful and appoint a substantive Vice-Chancellor to avoid further confusion and embarrassment to the University,” Jauro added.

Speaking further the union decried the bewilderment of the council over the turn of events noting that they are wondering how the re-commenced process would be completed without its input as the University’s Senate has a critical role to play in the process of appointing a Vice-Chancellor for the University.

Jauro added, “More worrisome is the fact that the University’s Governing Council’s tenure would elapse by January 17, 2025, at a time the receipt of applications for the re-advertised post of Vice-Chancellor would only have ended 3 days earlier.

“At this juncture, the questions to ask the authorities responsible for these violations are: Would a Council whose tenure has elapsed continue to superintendent the appointment of a Vice-Chancellor? Would a new Council be asked to continue from where its predecessor would stop? Won’t having two Councils to manage the process of appointing a Vice-Chancellor rub off on the appointee and his/her capacity to run the University? Was this confusion necessary for the University?

“Why is it so important that the last Council-completed process be truncated by a body saddled with the task of maintaining law and order in the University? Our Union maintains that these embarrassing scenarios in the University were needless and avoidable. Adhering to the provisions of the University laws would avert a lawless lawless situation in which individuals may want to resort to self-help to advance personal interests.

“We, therefore call on respected traditional rulers, religious leaders, and others to prevail on the Government to relevant stakeholders and University by revisiting the earlier recommendation of the Council and appoint anyone it deemed fit as substantive Vice-Chancellor of the University.”