By Moh Bello Habib
Zaria
As the tenure of the Vice-Chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Professor Abdullahi Mustapha, is expiring in April next year, about four professors from within the university have indicated their interest to succeed the vice-chancellor who served a five-year single term.
Investigation by our correspondent revealed that the high ranking scholars seeking the top job were the former Deputy Vice Chancellor (Administration), Professor Idris Isa Funtua of the Centre for Energy Research and Training (CERT); Professor Zakari Muhammed, former Librarian; and Professor Jonathan Andrew Nok of Biochemistry Department who was believed to have participated in the last vice-chancellor’s selection interview in which Mustapha emerged the winner.
Others in the run are Professor Abubakar Sadiq, former Director, National Agricultural Extension and Liaison Services (NAELS), and the immediate past Deputy Vice Chancellor (Administration), Professor Abubakar Na-Iya Sada of the Faculty of Law.
However, a source in the university said there are many professors outside the university that have also indicated interest of becoming the next VC of the famous institution.
Speaking with Blueprint, the Chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), ABU chapter, Dr Mohammed Kabir Aliyu, said that they need the best hand for the institution’s top job irrespective of coming from within or outside the university.
He explained that the potential VC must be somebody that knows the problems of the institution and not one who sits in office studying the institution before swinging into action.
“We don’t mind whoever will come as the vice-chancellor as long he can meet our expectations, but preferably we need somebody from within because he knows our problems. We are after prompt action,” the don said.
The unionist stated that they prefer somebody from within rather that somebody who would “come and start messing up.”
