Apprehension heightens over power tussle at UniAbuja
There are growing apprehensions at the University of Abuja that the former Registrar, Mallam M.B. Modibbo, may have been tipped as Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the University of Abuja Governing Council.
Modibbo, who was registrar for 8 years was directed by the Federal Ministry of Education to vacate and handover office of Registrar on June 30, 2014 after 35 years in public service.
The former Council had extended Mallam Modibbo’s tenure until he “attains the retirement age of 60 years or 35 years in service (whichever comes first).” Mallam Modibbo however said he must return to head the University community.
He had insisted on being registrar after the expiration of his tenure and attempted to become Director of Administration contrary to provisions of University laws. Consequently, the Federal Ministry of Education in a letter dated 29th June, 2014, signed by Mrs. H.U. Abdullahi, Director, Tertiary Education, for the Honorable Minister directed “Mr. M.B. Modibbo to vacate the position of Registrar with effect from 30th June, 2014 and proceed on his accumulated leaves.”
Accordingly, Mallam Modibbo, who was visibly unhappy with the directive from the Federal Ministry of Education bowed out only to scheme for a comeback as Council Chairman. According to the statement from the Ministry, reports from the University had been “worrisome” particularly “the case of Mr. Modibbo, whose tenure as Registrar has been generating a lot of furor within and outside the University Community.”
The Ministry had also directed the appointment of “the most senior Deputy Registrar to oversee the affairs of the Registry while the post of a new Registrar is advertised without further delay”. This directive further generated controversy as the former Registrar attempted not to handover the office of Registrar to the most senior Deputy Registrar at the time.
Analysts see the fight by Mallam Modibbo to become Pro-Chancellor and Chairman, Governing Council, as a revenge mission to crush his perceived enemies and plunge the University into further crisis. One of those interviewed who gave his name as Idris Mohammed spoke to Daily Times on the issue saying.
“It has never happened anywhere that a former Registrar is brought back as chairman governing council of any University in Nigeria and I believe the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari will not degenerate so low by appointing Modibbo as Chairman of University of Abuja Governing Council in the Present dispensation.”
A staff of the University who pleaded for anonymity for fear of victimization said, “Since the former Registrar left this place, there has been peace on campus.
Staff and Students have been going about their normal business; certificates are now issued to graduating students after the issuance of backlogs of over ten years and there is improved staff-students relationship.
“The coming of Mallam Modibbo will spell doom for the University of Abuja, he said asking.
“How do you think there will be peace when the former registrar is not popular with staff and students? University of Abuja must make progress as the center of learning unifying other Federal Universities in Nigeria.
“The APC government should resist the attempt to cause crisis at the University of Abuja and concentrate on making the University a model in Nigeria. I do not want a return to anarchy and executive lawlessness in the University,” he added.
