Editorial

Today’s appointment of Professor Adamu Ahmed as the 14th Vice Chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria seems to have left some people confused because he came second in the interview process.

However, a closer examination of the Universities Miscellaneous Provisions Act of 1993 reveals that the Yayale-led Council acted within its mandate in appointing Professor Ahmed.

The Act stipulates that the Selection Board, chaired by the Chairman of Council, presents a report to the full Governing Council, ranking candidates in order of performance. Crucially, the Council has the liberty to appoint any one of the top three candidates, either through consensus or voting. This provision affords the Council the flexibility to choose the best candidate for the position, regardless of their ranking.

It is worth noting that this is not the first time a second-ranked candidate has been appointed Vice Chancellor at ABU. In 2010, Professor Abdullahi Mustapha, who came second in the contest, was appointed Vice Chancellor. This precedent suggests that Professor Ahmed’s appointment is not unusual or illegal.

In fact, the only potentially wrongful act would have been if the Selection Board’s report had been refused presentation to the full Council, as occurred in 2019, when the outgoing Vice chancellor, Professor Kabiru Bala, was unilaterally appointed by the late Adamu Fika-led council without Selection Board report to know which position he was ranked, especially as it was widely rumoured that he was not even among the top three.

However, in Professor Ahmed’s case, all stipulated processes were followed to the latter.

Therefore, the Yayale-led Council’s decision to appoint Professor Adamu Ahmed as the 14th Vice Chancellor of ABU Zaria should be seen as a legitimate exercise of their authority. We commend the Council for their diligence and commitment to upholding the principles of fairness and transparency in the appointment process.

As Professor Ahmed assumes his new role, we urge him to build on the successes of his predecessors and tackle the challenges facing the university with vision, courage, and wisdom. We also call on the university community to rally behind the new Vice Chancellor and support him in his efforts to make ABU great again.

In conclusion, the appointment of Professor Adamu Ahmed as the 14th Vice Chancellor of ABU Zaria is a proof of the Council’s commitment to excellence and fairness. We have no doubt that Professor Ahmed will prove himself to be a worthy leader and take the university to greater heights.

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