By Moh Bello Habib, Zaria
The vocal Academics Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria branch has kicked against the move by the University Chancellor, Professor Kabir Bala to create office of the 3rd Vice Chancellor for the the School beside the existing 2 Deputy Vice Chancellors.
The Union made its stand know through its Chairman, Professor Haruna Jibril during a press conference on Saturday.
The said "The Ahmadu Bello University branch of Academic staff union of Universities (ASUU-ABU)notes with apprehension recent events bordering on the usurpation of powers University Governing Councils by the Minister of Education with the active collaboration of Vice Chancellors , this illigality undermines the sacred University autonomy being a product of persistent and struggle for better Nigerian Universities system.The autonomy is deeply embedded in extant laws which is section 2 AAA of the Universities (miscellaneous provisions) (Amended) Act, 2003. Specific ways adopted by the Chancellors to usurp the powers of University Councils include but are not limited to the creation of the office a Deputy Vice Chancellor (Third Deputy Vice Chancellor in the case Ahmadu Bello University).
"Confronted with recent incident here at Ahmadu Bello University, the Academic staff union of Universities (ASUU) proactively engaged the University administration demanding the immediate stoppage of election of a third Deputy Vice Chancellor had been scheduled to hold during the recently held 534th (Regular) meeting of the Senate ASUU ABU reports that following a letter of Protest from ASUU to the Vice Chancellor, the Said election was put on hold, in the letter we clearly stated our position to the effect that the creation of the office of third Vice Chancellor in the absence of Governing violate the laws governing the affairs of Ahmadu Bello University, we also argued that the Universities (miscellaneous provisions) Act, 1993 and the universities (miscellaneous provisions) (Amended) Act, 2003 confer the power to create the office of a Deputy Vice Chancellor solely on the Council of a University. Further more, Sections 2AAA of the Universities (miscellaneous provisions) (Amended) Act, 2003 provides the 'the powers of the Council shall be exercised as in Law and Statutes of each University and to that extent establishment circulars that are inconsistent with the law shall not apply to the universities' by this section approval from the Minister of Education especially on matters that do not threaten the ordinary cause of business of the University but which conflict with extant laws have no binding force.
The Academic further complained that as the they hold strongly that the sad developments that were currently being witnessed in the Universities were exacerbated by the failure of government to immediately reconstitute Councils as Section 2 A of Universities (miscellaneous provisions) (Amended) Act, 2003 demanded mindful of it's far reaching positive impact.
The Chairman pointed out that his union held University autonomy in high regard and has therefore consistently clamoured for its actualization.
