Details emerging from the troubled University of Abuja indicated at the weekend that the N2 billion Federal Government grant extended to the institution by President Goodluck Jonathan is a major cause of the rising tension among academics in the university.
Investigations by the Nigerian Tribune revealed that stakeholders who were angry at the vice Chancellor, Professor James Adelabu, for “tampering with the status quo,” were unhappy that the man would administer the presidential grant.
It was gathered that following the approval of that money, groups opposed to the vice chancellor immediately oiled their machinery and engaged protesters who would make things difficult and possibly engineer the sack of the management team of the institution.
“Reports reaching us indicate that the N2 billion granted the school to resolve its accreditation problems is at the base of the contrived and sustained protests we have witnessed by students in recent times in UniAbuja. Many people are eyeing that money, even including council members who have been sponsoring all sorts of contractors. It is a strange development that all these are happening in an academic environment,” a source said, adding that the good thing is that the money could not be accessed without appropriate submissions on the projects to be executed.
It was gathered that some critics of the vice chancellor were opposed to his style, which emphasised direct labour for the execution of critical projects as opposed to awarding contracts.
“Through direct labour, you save costs, but it is surprising that many are pushing for award of contracts so that the costs can shoot up,” source in the know said, adding that the caucus bent on the removal of the management team recently cornered the Federal Government’s special visitation panel into the institution.
It was gathered that the panel completed its assignment without calling the vice chancellor to clarify any point.
“How can a team set up by the Federal Government investigate a petition without hearing from the man being complained about. That is strange and it is clear that any report submitted by such a panel is jaundiced,” the source said, adding, however, that those who believed in the good works of the current UniAbuja management would take up the matter and reach relevant arms in the government to clarify the situation in the school.
“We are getting through with the process for accreditation of the four troubled courses. I can assure you that all hands are on deck, even though Prof Adelabu inherited most of the problems, he didn’t make noise about the enormity of the task, he only set out to work and those who created the problems now turned things upside down in trying to heap the blames for the non accreditation on his head. That lie will not stand,” the source concluded.