The Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University, Owerri (FUTO) Prof. Nnenna Oti, says the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) can not dictate to institutions who to promote to the rank of professor.
Oti, therefore, said the varsity’s management has filed legal action over the rejection of the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, as a Professor of Cyber Security.
Recall that ASUU had on Monday said it would sanction FUTO management for approving Pantami as a professor.
The union said Pantami cannot serve as a lecturer and also a minister in the Nigerian government.
But Oti said that the management went to court on the matter, saying any comment or discussion on it is subjudice.
“Just like ASUU does not tell the university council and its Senate who to promote, it cannot tell them the criteria for promoting somebody to rank of professor,” he said.
“In law, you cannot withdraw what you don’t have. ASUU does not regulate appointments and promotions. Some of these things are derived from NUC guidelines, and every university sets up its standard”.
