By Waziri Isa Adam
After suffering an unforeseen and severe defeat in the university’s recent congregation election to council, as a result of division among it’s members, where its two candidates lost the council election to the candidates of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities ( SSANU), the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Ahmadu Bello University Branch has won three out of the four seats that were contested for in the Senate to Council election.
The election which took place on Tuesday in the University’s Senate Chamber ended with three of the union’s preferred candidates winning with unanticipated and impressive number of votes. The candidates are Professor Junaid Kabiru, Professor Madaki Abubukar Muhammad and Professor Sadiq Umar Wake.
One independent candidate, Professor Mahadi Musa Abdullahi, that defeated the fourth ASUU’s preferred candidate – Professor Sule Muhammad, like all other independent candidates, is not only an ASUU Comrade, but a firm and silent believer in the principles of the Union who, though, could not make the Union’s list, simply because he is an appointee of the University’s belligerent management, won the election with the second highest votes on the strength of his sound character, such as humility, respect for elders, hard work and diligence.
The remaining ASUU members who contested the election as independent candidates but lost, following what looked like unanimous decision of majority of the members of the union to close their ranks to make the union stronger and great again, after losing its Influence in the congregation election, an unfortunate situation that was caused by many factors, chief among which is the suspicious romance of the Union’s top executives with the university’s management which is seen by many, rightly or wrongly, as the most corrupt, non performing and most high-handed in the long history of the university.
Professor Junaid Kabir of the department of Veterinary Public Health and Preventive Medicine scored 286 votes, while Professor Mahadi Musa Abdullahi of the department of Agronomy scored 234 votes.
Professor Madaki Abubakar Muhammad of the department of Private Law and Professor Sadiq Umar Wake of Physics department scored 215 and 197 votes respectively.
Other Independent candidates were Professor Muhammad Kabiru Isa of the department of Local Government and Development Studies and Professor Sani Abdullahi of the department of Banking and Finance scored 163 votes, 134 votes and 130 votes respectively.
Others were Professor Sallau Muhammad Sani of Chemistry department Professor Rabiu Abdussalam Magaji of the department of Human Physiology and Dr Fulatan Ibrahim of the department of Mathematics scored 93 votes, 80 votes and 74 votes respectively.
Professor Yahaya Abubakar of the department of statistics and Dr Ismaila Abdulsalam Galadima of Physics department scored 67 votes and 62 votes respectively.
With the election of the four council members from the Senate and the earlier election of two members from congregation to the council, this brings to six, the total number of internal members elected to serve on the Governing Council, which is the top decision making body of the University, whose major responsibilities include appointment of the most credible and competent Vice Chancellor for the University, and removal or punishing erring Vice Chancellors.