Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, the national president of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), has voiced strong opposition to the federal government’s recent appointments to university governing councils.

Osodeke criticized the new list of appointees, describing it as “worse than the previous one,” and highlighted the overwhelming presence of retired politicians.

“Go and look at the list again, you will see that most of them are retired politicians. They are honourable this and honourable that. What does that tell us?” Osodeke remarked, underscoring his concerns about the qualifications and suitability of these appointees.

Osodeke argued that appointing politicians to the councils is detrimental to the genuine development of Nigerian universities, suggesting that such political appointments undermine the management and progress of higher education institutions. He emphasized that effective university governance requires appointees with the necessary academic and administrative expertise, rather than political affiliations.

Previously, ASUU had contested the legality of the federal government’s decision to form new governing councils, arguing that it violated the University Act. According to the union, the tenures of the previous councils, which were dissolved over 10 months ago, had not yet expired, making the new appointments unlawful.

The union has maintained that the current approach to appointing governing council members does not align with the necessary standards to foster real development in the country’s universities. ASUU’s position is that the focus should be on appointing individuals who can contribute meaningfully to the academic and administrative growth of these institutions, rather than politically connected individuals.

By raising these concerns, ASUU aims to draw attention to the need for a more merit-based and less politicized process in the appointment of university governing council members, ensuring that the leadership of these institutions is well-equipped to address the challenges facing Nigerian higher education.