Presidency defends Salisu Buhari's appointment into UNN Council

The Presidency has defended its decision to appoint a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Salishu Buhari, to sit on the Governing Council of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
Speaking on Saturday on a Channels Television programme, Sunrise, presidential media aide, Dr. Reuben Abati, posited that one does not need to be a graduate to sit on a university Governing Council.
Abati was reacting to a question on what qualified the former speaker to be appointed a council member apart from being a Nigerian.
Alhaji Buhari, who claimed to have bagged a degree from the University of Toronto in Canada, was compelled to vacate his seat in 1999, having been investigated and found to have lied.
According to Abati, all the people appointed are those that have garnered enough experience in different sectors that could be useful to the university system.
He contended that the enabling laws only require that a council member must be knowledgeable in the affairs of the university, arguing further that a parent is qualified to sit on the council.
He spoke further: “The persons that are appointed to the governing council is on the basis of the recognition that they are in a position to make a contribution.
“I told you earlier that these four persons that are appointed by the Visitor to the council, they represent variety of interest.
“People bring different kind of things to the table when they are in the governing council.
“It could be your exposure in the business arena, it could just be your connection within the community, it could be the relevant experience that you have acquired.
“Take my former experience at Olabisi Onabanjo University, take something like community relations. “There was a time we had issue with the Ago-Iwoye community but luckily for us, we had on the governing council, persons who had very strong connection within that community.
“And they were the ones who went to the oba, who discussed with the community and the problem was solved.
“There are many ways in which people can contribute.
“If you look at the appointment, even journalists are members of council.
“We have Gbenga Adefaye in UNILAG, we have Tony Onyima in ABU, we have Chief Innocent Oparadike.
“These are journalists.
“The people can come from just any background.”
Asked about the enabling laws, the presidential adviser said going by the laws, they only have “to be knowledgeable in the affairs of the University.
“If you have a child that is going through the university system, you can on the basis of that even sit on the council because you have an idea.
“There are Nigerians who are involved in the university education and that is why that section did not say expressly that you must be a PhD holder, university professor or that you must even be a graduate.
“You just have experience to contribute to a strategic sector in the university.
“The law does not say this is the specific qualification.