Federal Government Postpones Inauguration of University Governing Councils
Federal Government Postpones Inauguration of University Governing Councils
By AmforGod J. Olisa
The Federal Government has announced the postponement of the inauguration and retreat for Pro-Chancellors, Chairmen, and members of Governing Councils of federal tertiary institutions, which were initially scheduled for Thursday, May 30, and Friday, May 31, 2024.
This decision follows a directive from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, calling for a comprehensive review of the list of nominees for the governing councils. The announcement was made by Folasade Boriowo, Director of Press and Public Relations at the Federal Ministry of Education, who expressed regret for any inconvenience caused by the postponement.
In a statement titled “Postponement of Inauguration and Retreat for Membership of Governing Councils of Federal Tertiary Institutions,” Boriowo explained the reason behind the decision. “This postponement is due to a Presidential directive, as conveyed by the State House Press Release dated May 23, 2024, for a comprehensive review of the membership of the Governing Councils of Federal Tertiary Institutions in Nigeria. Further updates will be communicated in due course,” she said.
The directive for a review was initially communicated by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to the President. Onanuga noted that the current nominations did not reflect the federal character of the country, with discrepancies such as some states receiving only one nomination while others had multiple appointees.
“The nominations failed to reflect the federal character of the country, as some states got just one nomination while others had many,” Onanuga stated. He added that President Tinubu is committed to ensuring strict compliance with the principle of federal character as outlined in the constitution. The review will also consider national spread to ensure adequate representation from all parts of the country.
The Federal Ministry of Education assured that further updates on the inauguration and retreat will be provided in due course.
