The University of Abuja (UniAbuja) has announced the appointment of Professor Aisha Sani Maikudi as its seventh substantive Vice-Chancellor, effective January 1, 2025. Her appointment was approved during the university governing council’s 77th extraordinary meeting held on December 31, 2024.
The council, chaired by retired Air Vice-Marshal Saddiq Ismaila Kaita, revealed that Maikudi emerged as the top candidate out of 10 shortlisted applicants interviewed by the Joint Council and Senate Selection Board (JCSSB). She will serve a nonrenewable five-year tenure.
Maikudi, a professor of International Law, previously served as the acting Vice-Chancellor of UniAbuja from July 5, 2024. Her appointment follows a contentious selection process that attracted widespread criticism from within and outside the university community.
Profile of an Achiever
Born on January 31, 1983, in Katsina, Maikudi has a sterling academic and professional record. She began her education at Sacred Heart School, Kaduna, and proceeded to Queens College, Lagos, before earning an LLB from the University of Reading, UK, in 2004. She later obtained an LLM in Public International Law from the London School of Economics and Political Science in 2005 and completed her PhD in International Law at the University of Abuja in 2015.
Joining UniAbuja as a Lecturer II in 2008, Maikudi rose through the ranks to become a professor in 2021. She has held several pioneering roles, including being the first female head of the Law Department, the first female Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Law, and the pioneer Director of the University of Abuja International Centre. She also served as the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), where she introduced “United Nations Law” as a course.
Maikudi has represented the university and Nigeria at various international conferences, workshops, and training sessions across multiple countries, including the UK, US, South Africa, Germany, and China.
Controversy and Pushback
Despite her credentials, Maikudi’s appointment has been marred by allegations of procedural irregularities and favoritism. Sources within the university disclosed that external council members boycotted the December 31 meeting convened by the governing council chairman, Saddiq Kaita, to finalize the appointment.
According to an insider who requested anonymity, the absence of key council members could render the selection process invalid under university regulations. “The law requires the presence of the chairman, two non-senate council members, and two senate representatives who are not council members for a valid selection process,” the source explained.
Earlier, a group of 67 professors petitioned the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, calling for the dissolution of the governing council. They alleged that the council chairman had sidelined over 87 applications to favor a preferred candidate, whom they claimed lacked the required ten years of professorial experience.
The petition also criticized the council’s composition, accusing it of being improperly constituted with members lacking expertise in higher education governance.
Despite the controversies, the governing council has defended Maikudi’s appointment, emphasizing her qualifications and leadership experience. As she assumes her new role, stakeholders are keenly watching how she navigates the challenges and expectations of her tenure.
