On Thursday, President Bola Tinubu called for a review of the newly announced governing boards of tertiary institutions before their planned inauguration and retreat. Last week, the Ministry of Education released a list of governing councils for 111 federal tertiary institutions, including 50 universities, 37 polytechnics, and 24 colleges of education, comprising technocrats, politicians, and traditional rulers.
The list, issued by Permanent Secretary Didi Esther Walson-Jack, indicated that the inauguration and retreat for the councils would occur on May 30 and 31, 2024. However, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), among others, rejected the list.
Bayo Onanuga, the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, announced on Thursday that Tinubu had ordered a review of the list. Onanuga stated, “President Bola Tinubu has directed a thorough review of the recently announced governing boards of tertiary institutions before the planned inauguration and retreat.”
The Ministry of Education’s list had nominated chairmen, Pro-Chancellors, and board members for universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education, with the inauguration set for May 31. However, public feedback indicated that the nominations did not adequately reflect the country’s federal character, with some states receiving only one nomination and others many. In response, President Tinubu ordered a complete review to ensure compliance with the constitutional principle of federal character and adequate representation for all parts of the country.