Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
A former spokesman for the South-East region to President Bola Tinubu, Mr. Josef Onoh, has dismissed allegations that the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, interfered in the administration and management of the University of Abuja. Onoh, who is also the Chairman of the Forum of Former Members of the Enugu State House of Assembly, made the declaration in a statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, describing the reports as false, fabricated, and a fundamental misrepresentation of the statutory framework governing the administration of federal universities in Nigeria.
The allegations in question claimed that the Minister pressured the university's management to appoint a dismissed lecturer, Professor Hamzat Adebayo, to a senior management position. Onoh rejected the reports, stating that they reflected a profound ignorance of the laws governing federal tertiary institutions. He further dismissed claims that the Minister facilitated the transfer of the lecturer from the Federal University Dutsin-Ma to the University of Abuja, describing the allegation as legally and administratively impossible.
According to Onoh, the Universities (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, as amended by the Universities Autonomy Act, grants federal universities a high degree of institutional autonomy. He explained that decisions relating to the employment of academic staff, inter-university transfers, and appointments into senior management positions fall exclusively within the statutory responsibilities of the university's Governing Council and Senate. "The Minister of Education does not possess the executive or statutory power to unilaterally deploy, transfer, or insert any academic staff into the payroll or administrative structure of an autonomous institution like the University of Abuja," Onoh stated.
Onoh also clarified the established procedures governing inter-university transfers, noting that such processes require a formal application by the lecturer, rigorous vetting by the receiving department, approval by the University Senate regarding academic qualifications, and final clearance by the institution's Governing Council based on vacancy and merit. He maintained that his interactions with the Minister confirmed that the Federal Ministry of Education does not interfere in the internal recruitment processes of universities.
Onoh described the suggestions that the Minister was influencing staffing decisions as a deliberate attempt to tarnish his reputation and create unnecessary tension within the university community. He called on media organisations to verify facts and understand the legal framework guiding public institutions before publishing reports based on anonymous sources. He also urged the public to disregard the allegations, insisting that the Ministry of Education, under President Bola Tinubu's administration, remains focused on implementing reforms aimed at improving the quality, infrastructure, and standards of education across the country.
📩 Stone Reporters News | 🌍 stonereportersnews.com
✉️ info@stonereportersnews.com | 📘 Facebook: Stone Reporters News | 🐦 X (Twitter): @StoneReportNew | 📸 Instagram: @stonereportersnews
Add comment
Comments