Former South-East spokesman to President Bola Tinubu and Chairman of the Forum of Former Members of the Enugu State House of Assembly, Josef Onoh, has rejected allegations that the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, interfered in the administration and management of the University of Abuja.
In a statement issued in Abuja, Onoh described the allegations as false, fabricated and a misrepresentation of the legal framework guiding the administration of federal universities in Nigeria.
He explained that the Universities (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, as amended by the Universities Autonomy Act, grants federal universities significant autonomy in managing their internal affairs.
According to Onoh, the authority to recruit academic staff, approve inter-university transfers and appoint principal officers lies exclusively with each university’s Governing Council and Senate.
He stressed that the Minister of Education has neither the statutory nor executive authority to unilaterally appoint, transfer or deploy academic staff into the administrative structure or payroll of any autonomous federal university, including the University of Abuja.
Onoh also dismissed claims that Alausa facilitated the transfer of a lecturer from the Federal University Dutsin-Ma (FUDMA) to the University of Abuja, describing the allegation as legally and operationally impossible.
He explained that inter-university transfers follow established procedures, including an application by the lecturer, departmental assessment, Senate approval based on qualifications and merit, and final clearance by the university’s Governing Council, subject to available vacancies.
According to him, discussions with the minister confirmed that the Federal Ministry of Education plays no role in internal academic recruitment or staff transfer processes within federal universities.
Onoh said Alausa remains committed to the rule of law, due process and merit-based administration in Nigeria’s tertiary education sector. He added that since assuming office, the minister has consistently promoted stronger institutional governance while respecting the autonomy of university governing councils.
He described reports suggesting that the minister influenced staffing decisions or pressured the university’s management as a deliberate attempt to damage his reputation and create unnecessary tension within the institution.
Onoh urged media organisations to verify legal provisions governing public institutions and cross-check information before publishing reports based on anonymous sources.
He also called on the public to disregard the allegations, maintaining that the Federal Ministry of Education under President Bola Tinubu’s administration remains focused on implementing reforms to improve the quality, infrastructure and standards of education across the country.
