Reinstate Dissolved Universities’ Governing Councils, CSOs urge Tinubu

A Coalition of Civil Society Organisations in Nigeria (COCSON) on Wednesday urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to reinstate the governing councils of federal universities he disbanded, saying his action is illegal.

Engr Obiorah Chidozie, The National President of COCSON, in a press conference in Abuja with Alhaji Husseini Ibrahim, the National Secretary, stated that it was an error for the governing councils of federal universities to be disbanded without regard to the Universities (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Amendment) Act 2003 also known as the Universities Autonomy Act No. 1, 2007.

Chidozie, quoting the law, said the federal government has no power to disband the governing councils before the expiration of their tenures except when they are found “incompetent or wanting”. He added that “the university system now is left hanging without a head and now subjected to political dictates.”

The coalition said that the illegal dissolution of the university governing councils has caused a setback for the growth and development of university education in the country and that the federal government should reinstate them.