Amid inconsistencies in recent appointments to governing boards of tertiary institutions, President Bola Tinubu has issued a directive for a thorough review of the entire process.
The President, in a statement through his media aide, Bayo Onanuga on Thursday, emphasized the need for the review to be completed before the planned inauguration and retreat for the nominees.
This move comes after the Federal Ministry of Education, led by Mamman Tahir, released a list of nominees for chairmen, Pro-Chancellors, and members of governing councils of universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education in response to threats of strike action by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) due to alleged delays in constituting the boards.
Plans for a retreat for the nominees and the inauguration scheduled for 31 May were in the pipeline before Tinubu’s intervention.
The decision for a comprehensive review was likely sparked by public outcry.
Concerns were raised over the nominations not aligning with the Federal Character principle, with some states receiving only one nomination while others had numerous appointments.
Tinubu, acknowledging the widespread feedback, directed a complete reassessment of the list of nominees.
Onanuga reiterated Tinubu’s commitment to upholding the Constitutional principle of Federal Character.
“The review process will prioritize national representation to ensure equitable distribution across the country,” Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy affirmed.