The Federal Government has confirmed July 4, 2024, as the inauguration date of governing councils for federal universities, and polytechnics, among others, ignoring the Academic Staff of Universities Union’s (ASUU) rejection of the idea.
   
Nnamdi Mbaeri, the Permanent Secretary, General Services, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, who confirmed this, said consent has been granted for the proper administration of Nigerian tertiary institutions across the country.
   
However, Emmanuel Osodeke, the president of ASUU, has frowned at the government’s approach and described it as a troubling pattern in the appointment process.
   
“The new council members are primarily retired politicians rather than academics or professionals in relevant disciplines,” he noted.

ASUU had earlier kicked against the appointment of new governing councils in the federal institutions of higher learning, saying it was illegal to remove the existing ones before the expiration of their tenures.
   
A total of 560 people were appointed to the governing councils and boards of federal academic institutions.