The Federal Ministry of Education has directed the Governing Council of the Federal College of Education, Odugbo, Benue State, to immediately nullify the appointments of three principal officers of the institution over alleged violations of established regulations governing such appointments.
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In a letter dated March 2, 2026, addressed to the Chairman of the college’s Governing Council and obtained by our correspondent on Wednesday, the ministry said the appointments of the Provost, Registrar, and Bursar were carried out through a process that contravened existing regulations.
The letter, signed by the Director of Colleges of Education in the ministry, Dr Uchenna Uba, on behalf of the Minister of Education, stated that the ministry had received notification from the council regarding the appointments after the conclusion of a selection process.
However, the ministry said its review showed that the process violated the Conditions of Service for Colleges of Education, as well as the approved modalities guiding implementation of CONTEDISS 15 for staff on administrative and accounting cadres.
The letter read, “The Ministry has noted that the process leading to the appointments was conducted in contravention of the Conditions of Service for Colleges of Education, Section 2, Subsection 8(1)(i), as well as the approved modalities for the implementation of CONTEDISS 15 for staff on Administrative and Accountant Cadres in Colleges of Education in Nigeria.”
The ministry also recalled that earlier directives had been issued instructing the council to suspend the exercise and re-advertise the positions in compliance with relevant regulations.
Consequently, the ministry invoked the powers of the minister under Section 12 of the Federal Colleges of Education Act, 2023, directing the council to nullify the appointments with immediate effect and withdraw the letters issued to the affected officers.
“You are hereby directed to nullify, with immediate effect, the appointments of the Provost, Registrar and Bursar arising from the said selection process, withdraw the letters of appointment issued in respect thereof, and re-advertise the positions in strict compliance with the relevant provisions of the Conditions of Service and approved implementation modalities,” the letter added.
The ministry further instructed the council to re-advertise the position of provost within seven days to prevent an administrative vacuum, noting that the tenure of the incumbent provost would expire in March 2026.
It also asked the council to submit a copy of the revised advertisement to the ministry for documentation and record purposes.
A non-governmental organisation, the Centre for Accountability and Public Engagement, had petitioned the ministry over the appointments, describing the development as a violation of due process and a setback for reforms in the education sector.
In a statement on Tuesday by its Executive Director, Danielson Akpan, the group said it received the development with “serious concern,” citing official correspondence from the ministry indicating that the process violated established rules.
“Information available to us, including official correspondence from the Federal Ministry of Education, clearly indicates that the process leading to the purported appointment of the Provost, Registrar and Bursar of the College was conducted in flagrant violation of the established rules governing such appointments in Federal Colleges of Education,” Akpan said.
The organisation said it was particularly troubling that the appointments were made despite earlier instructions from the ministry to halt the process and re-advertise the positions.
“Such disregard for due process undermines institutional governance and erodes public confidence in the administration of our tertiary education system,” the statement said.
CAPE described the development as part of a broader pattern of procedural violations in appointments within some tertiary institutions in the country.
“These developments are particularly concerning at a time when the Federal Government is promoting its Renewed Hope Agenda.
“Actions that appear to disregard institutional regulations risk casting doubts in the minds of Nigerians about the sincerity of government commitments to transparency, rule of law, and good governance in the education sector,” it said.
The group called on the education minister to ensure the immediate cancellation of the appointments as already directed by the ministry and compel the governing council to withdraw the appointment letters.
It also urged the ministry to direct the re-advertisement of the positions in line with the Conditions of Service and other relevant regulations, while sanctioning any individual or body found to have deliberately violated established procedures.
“The credibility, stability and integrity of our tertiary education institutions depend on strict adherence to due process in the appointment of their leadership.
“Any attempt to circumvent these procedures threatens institutional autonomy, meritocracy and accountability,” Akpan said.
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