The Nasarawa State House of Assembly has recommended the indefinite suspension of the Vice Chancellor of the state-owned university in Keffi, Prof. Mohammed Akaro-Mainoma.
The suspension followed a motion moved by Abubakar Kana (APC-Kokona West) on Monday after the appearance of the vice chancellor before the House over alleged irregularities in the 2015/2016 admission exercise.
Kana said that Akaro-Mainoma failed to disprove the allegation of admission irregularities and called for the suspension of the vice chancellor to enable investigation be conducted on the matter
He said: “The 2015/2016 academic session admission list of the university did not favour the indigenes of the state.
“The suspension of the vice chancellor will enable the House to do proper investigation into the alleged admission saga and other irregularities in the institution.
“The act establishing the university said that 80 per cent of admission into the institution should be for indigenes while 20 per cent should be for non-indigenes.
“But in this year’s admission, it is unfortunate that our children are crying out there for not getting admission into the university.”
Mohammed Okpoku (APC-Udege/Loko) seconded the motion for the suspension of the vice chancellor.
Also contributing, Godiya Akwashiki, the Deputy Speaker of the House, and Daniel Ogazi, the Chairman of the House Committee on Education, lamented the alleged exclusion of indigenes from the admission exercise.
They observed that out of the 4,078 admitted students, indigenes were supposed to have 3,270.
The House consequently passed the resolution for the suspension of the vice chancellor.
The Speaker of the House, Alhaji Ibrahim Balarabe, directed the Clerk of the House to communicate the resolution to Governor Umaru Al-Makura.
But Akaro-Mainoma, earlier in his defence, said the issue of admission was provisional
He argued that the 2015/2016 admission followed due process in line with the state’s constitution allotting 80 per cent to indigenes and 20 per cent to non-indigenes.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the House had set up a nine man-committee chaired by Ogazi to investigate the matter and submit its report within three weeks.
NAN.