President Bola Tinubu has directed a total and comprehensive review of the recently announced names of names of nominees for chairmen, Pro-Chancellors, and members of the boards and councils of universities, Polytechnics, and colleges of education boards.
Tinubu said the list violated section 14 (3) of the 1999 Constitution.
The section provides: “The composition of the Government of the Federation or any of its agencies and the conduct of its affairs shall be carried out in such a manner as to reflect the federal character of Nigeria and the need to promote national unity, and also to command national loyalty, thereby ensuring that there shall be no predominance of persons from a few State or from a few ethnic or other sectional groups in that Government or in any of its agencies.”
In a statement on Thursday, Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, said Tinubu directed that the review must be done before the inauguration and retreat being planned for the nominees.
The Ministry of Education had last week released governing councils for 111 federal tertiary institutions in the country.
The list contained names of technocrats, politicians and traditional rulers for 50 universities, 37 polytechnics, and 24 colleges of education.
Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Didi Esther Walson-Jack, who released the statement containing the list had stated that inauguration and retreat of the councils would hold on May 30 and 31, 2024.
But the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), among others rejected the list and demanded a review.
In a statement, Bayo Onanuga, said Tinubu: “President Bola Tinubu has directed a total and comprehensive review of the recently announced governing boards of tertiary institutions in Nigeria before the inauguration and retreat being planned for the nominees.”
“The Federal Ministry of Education recently released names of nominees for chairmen, Pro-Chancellors, and members of the boards and councils of universities, Polytechnics, and colleges of education. It also announced that the inauguration and retreat for the nominees will take place on 31 May.
“However, public reactions showed that the nominations did not reflect the federal character of the country as some states got just one nomination, while some others got many. In directing a complete review of the list of members, President Tinubu acknowledges the feedback across the country.
“President Tinubu is committed to ensuring strict compliance with the principle of federal character as entrenched in the constitution. The review will also take into consideration national spread and ensure every part of the country is adequately represented.”
