By Godfrey AKON
Two weeks after the appointment of Prof. Aisha Maikudi as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Abuja, UniAbuja, a group of aggrieved professors has called on the Federal Government to probe alleged financial fraud involving over N3 billion.
The allegations stem from a 2021 Presidential Visitation Panel report detailing financial discrepancies during the university’s 2019/2020 academic session.
While UniAbuja’s management insists that Maikudi’s appointment followed due process, the lecturers, speaking anonymously, claim that individuals implicated in the alleged fraud orchestrated her appointment to block further investigations.
The 2021 Presidential Visitation Panel report, submitted to former Education Minister Mallam Adamu Adamu, indicated significant irregularities in the university’s financial records.
It revealed a mismatch between the university’s potential revenue from student fees—estimated at N4.87 billion—and the N1.65 billion declared by the university bursary.
The panel recommended a thorough investigation into these discrepancies, noting that the Governing Council, then chaired by Alhaji Sani Maikudi, failed to address the inconsistencies.
The aggrieved lecturers allege a connection between the new Vice-Chancellor’s appointment and efforts to shield the council, particularly as Alhaji Maikudi is her father.
They further accused Prof. Abdul-Rasheed Na’Allah, the immediate past Vice-Chancellor, of collaborating with Prof. Maikudi to suppress the findings of the 342-page report.
Na’Allah’s tenure reportedly ended under a cloud of controversy, marked by clashes with the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, which accused him of violating the university’s administrative protocols.
The lecturers insist that the Federal Government investigate the allegations to uphold the university’s integrity.
“This matter goes beyond individual appointments; it concerns accountability and transparency in our educational system,” one lecturer stated.
As the dust remains unsettled, stakeholders await the Federal Government’s response to these serious allegations.
