Jega, who also superintended the 2015 general elections which brought
Buhari to power, was announced among 42 other names on Thursday by the
Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, for the appointment.
President Muhammadu Buhari in a subtle move has
appointed the immediate past Chairman of the Independent National
Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Attahiru Jega, one of the critics of
his administration, as Chairman of the University of Jos Governing
Council.
Jega, who also superintended the 2015 general elections which brought
Buhari to power, was announced among 42 other names on Thursday by the
Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, for the appointment.
Jega had only in January described Buhari's government as disappointing, saying many Nigerians were already disappointed.
But Buhari approved the appointment of Jega as the Chairman, Governing Council of the University of Jos on Thursday.
While addressing newsmen in Abuja, the education minister said the 42
new chairmen of the governing councils of the federal universities
would help to give direction and efficiency to the university system.
Two former ministers, Prof Anthony Anwuka and Udoma Udo Udoma, were also appointed chairmen of governing councils.
While Anwuka is to chair the council of the Federal University of
Petroleum Resources, Effurun, Delta State, Udoma will chair the council
of Bayero University, Kano.
Both Udoma and Anwuka served as ministers in the first term of Buhari's presidency.
Other Chairmen of Councils are Prof Ahmed Mohammed Modibbo,
University of Abuja; Malam Adamu Fika, Ahmadu Bello University Zaria;
Dr. Sonny Kuku, University Of Benin; Chief Ikechi Emenike, University Of
Nigeria; Nsukka and Ballama Manu, University Of Maiduguri.
Adamu also noted that the President approved the re-constitution of
Governing Councils of 23 federal universities and Inter-University
Centres (IUCs) following the expiration of their tenures on May 8, 2021.
SaharaReporters on January 24 reported that Jega described Buhari's
government as disappointing, saying many Nigerians were worried about
the direction it was taking the country.
The Professor of Political Science had accused the present
administration of being very inept in managing peaceful coexistence in
the country.
At a function, Jega had said, “Unfortunately, he has disappointed so
many people. He still has time to correct things if he has the capacity
to do that. But frankly, his government has been very disappointing.
Many people wish him well but are worried about the direction the
country is taking.
“Governance has been very poor at the federal level and many of the
states, that is why we are seeing challenges everywhere; whether it is
insurgency, banditry, armed robbery or other things.”
The former INEC Chairman further stated that the accumulated
misgivings by sections of the citizens led to frustrations, which “find
expression in these demands for restructuring.” He also described
Nigerian politicians as greedy, selfish and reckless.
He said, “We have a lot to do; and the first thing to do is to get it
right by securing the mindset of our politicians from selfishness,
greed and reckless banditry. Actually, many of them are also bandits,
not just those who stand by the roadside with AK-47.
"To steal recklessly from government’s coffers and turn hundreds, if
not millions of people into poverty, deny children the opportunity to go
to school because they have stolen the money that would have gone into
education or was supposed to buy arms and ammunition for the military,
to the extent that they can no longer fight banditry, that is banditry
itself.”
