The Federal Government has announced the formation of governing councils for 111 federal tertiary institutions across Nigeria. The list, released on Saturday by the Federal Ministry of Education, includes appointments for 50 universities, 37 polytechnics, and 24 colleges of education.
The announcement was made by Didi Esther Walson-Jack, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Education. According to Walson-Jack, the inauguration and retreat for the newly constituted councils will be held on May 30 and 31, 2024, at the National Universities Commission (NUC) headquarters in Abuja, commencing at 9:00 am each day.
Prominent individuals appointed to lead the councils include former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Attahiru Jega, who will chair the Governing Council of Usmanu Danfodio University, Sokoto (UDUS). Other notable appointees are Senior Advocate of Nigeria Yusuf Alli, who will lead the University of Lagos (UNILAG) council, former NUC Executive Secretary Peter Okebukola for the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT), labour activist Issa Aremu for the Federal College of Education (Technical), Keana, Nasarawa State, and former Bauchi State Governor Isa Yuguda for the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN).
This development follows recent threats of a nationwide strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU). The union had criticized the delay in constituting the governing councils, which were dissolved in June following a directive from President Bola Tinubu. ASUU’s president, Emmanuel Osodeke, condemned the dissolution as illegal, arguing that it has led to various irregularities within the Nigerian university system.
“ASUU shall do all within its powers to ensure that the dignity of the academia is fully restored in line with practices obtainable in forward-looking climes,” Osodeke stated during a press conference on Tuesday. He warned that the federal and state governments would be held responsible if the issue of governing councils escalates into an industrial crisis.
With the new appointments, it is expected that stability will return to the administration of Nigeria’s federal tertiary institutions, potentially averting the looming threat of industrial action by ASUU.