Minister orders UNIUYO to revise VC advert amidst strike threat

The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, has directed the University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, to withdraw its current advertisement for the position of the Vice-Chancellor in the institution and publish a revised version that is inclusive and does not exclude any qualified candidates.

This directive follows a protest by the clinical lecturers under the aegis of the Medical and Dental Consultants’ Association of Nigeria, which had threatened to embark on strike over what it described as discriminatory criteria in the selection process.

The clinical lecturers raised concerns over the advert’s qualification requirements, which they argue unfairly exclude medical professionals holding fellowships from eligibility.

In a memo dated June 13, 2025, and addressed to the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council, the group warned that unless the advert is amended, it would take industrial action.

MDCAN subsequently issued a two-week ultimatum, set to expire on July 1, 2025, demanding that the university revise the criteria to ensure fairness and inclusivity in the appointment process.

Speaking to our correspondent on Monday, the National President of MDCAN, Prof. Muhammad Muhammad, confirmed that Dr Alausa had intervened directly.

Muhammad said the Minister explicitly instructed UNIUYO to retract the existing advert and reissue a version that accommodates both PhD and Fellowship qualifications.

We had a conference call yesterday (Sunday) with the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, and the Pro-Chancellor of UNIUYO, and the Minister explicitly instructed UNIUYO to retract the existing advert and reissue a version that does not sideline anyone.

“The university management and the MDCAN in the university will be meeting today or tomorrow to conclude on the matter and the way forward,” he said.