A group of concerned citizens has petitioned the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, over the proposed appointment of Dr. Benjamin Kefas as Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University, Wukari, Taraba State.
The petition, signed by the group’s national coordinator, Bulus Zakari, alleges that the appointment violates standards set by the National Universities Commission (NUC), highlighting that Dr. Kefas has not attained full professorship—a key requirement for the role.
The group also raised concerns over the selection process, claiming that out of roughly 40 applicants, 36 were screened out, leaving only four candidates, three from Taraba and one from Adamawa State, which they argue undermines fairness and transparency.
According to the petition, Dr. Kefas holds B. Pharm, MSc, and PhD degrees from Ahmadu Bello University and Vrije Universiteit Brussel, and is currently listed as an Assistant Professor in Neurology at the University of Virginia. However, the petitioners assert he has no record of serving in leadership roles such as Head of Department, Dean, or Director within a Nigerian university system.
“Our concern is to ensure the appointment process remains transparent, competitive, merit-based, and compliant with statutory requirements,” the petition stated.
The group has urged the Federal Ministry of Education to intervene, conduct an independent review of the selection process, verify candidates’ qualifications, prevent political influence, and reassure stakeholders that merit will guide the final selection.
