The National Universities Commission, NUC, has directed vice chancellors of federal universities whose tenures have expired to appoint their deputies as acting Vice Chancellors.

The Ag. Executive Secretary of NUC, Mr Chris Maiyaki, issued the directive in a letter to Vice Chancellors of Federal Universities on Tuesday.

Miayaki noted that the directive follows an order of the Federal Ministry of Education to Vice-Chancellors whose tenure will be completed soon “to nominate through the recommendation of the Senate, a Deputy Vice- Chancellor that will oversee office of the Vice-Chancellor in a temporary capacity.

The ministry had through the Director University Education, Mrs. R.G. Ilyasu, stated in a letter to NUC that “the Governing Council after inauguration would appoint an Acting Vice- Chancellor for a period not less than 6 months during which the Council will commence the process of appointing a substantive Vice- Chancellor.”

“I write, further to previous communication Ref. No. NUC/ES/138/Vol. 65/88 and dated 27 May 2024, to convey the directive of the Federal Ministry of Education, vide its letter Ref. No. FME/TE/CỰ/130/T6/458 and dated 28 May 2024 (copy attached), to the effect that Vice- Chancellors of Federal Universities, who are rounding up their tenures, are to nominate, through the recommendation of their Senates, a Deputy Vice-Chancellor that will oversee the office of the Vice-Chancellor in a temporary capacity.

“The Governing Councils, after their inauguration, will appoint Acting Vice-Chancellors for a period not less than 6 months, during which they will commence the process of appointing a substantive Vice-Chancellors.

“This Circular takes pre-eminence over our earlier directives issued. He said.