By Suleiman Anyalewechi
Former Independent Electoral Commission, INEC, National Chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega, has cautioned against the continued interference in the appointment processes of University Vice Chancellors, Governing Council Members and other Principal officers.
Prof Jega, a former Vice Chancellor of the Bayero University Kano, also, expressed serious concern over what he described as “persistent political interference in the affairs of Nigeria Universities.”
Jega, a Professor of Political Science who spoke on Thursday, December 4, 2025 while delivering the 3rd Abdullahi Mahadi Annual Memorial Lecture at the Gombe State University, insisted that undue interference over the years has weakened governance structures, encouraged poor administrative decisions, and undermined staff morale.
According to the former INEC boss, the trend has significantly contributed to the gradual decline in the quality of higher education in the country.
Delivering a lecture , entitled, “Challenges and Prospects of Improving University Governance in Nigeria”, Jega insisted that Universities are specialized academic institutions that require visionary experienced, and academically grounded leadership to fulfill their mandates of teaching, research and community service.
“A university is not a political platform. It is a centre of Knowledge creation and human capital development. It cannot.achieve its core objectives when leadership appointments are driven by political considerations rather than academic merit” he stated.
Prof Jega warned that the increasing politicization of such appointments poses a serious threat to academic standards, institutional autonomy, and the future of higher education in Nigeria.
He urged the Federal Government and other relevant authorities to entrench merit, competence and integrity as the guiding principles in the appointment of leadership across Nigerian universities.
This is as he emphasized the imperatives of transparency, competitiveness and merit in the selection processes of University leadership.
According to him, the selection processes should also be anchored on clear criteria, academic record, leadership experience and professional credibility .
Insulating universities from undue political influence remains an essential ingredient for the restoration of confidence in the system ,as well as repositioning of Nigerian universities for the purpose of competing favourably at the global level, the former BUK Vice Chancellor added.
Prof Jega, therefore, warned that failure to reform university governance would continue to erode the capacity of the system to produce graduates who are innovative, globally competitive, and capable of driving sustainable national development.
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