Education Ministry directs FUTO VC to cancel 24 appointments

By Joseph Erunke, Abuja

A leaked directive from the Federal Ministry of Education has revealed a significant intervention by the Federal Government in the affairs of the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO). The institution’s Vice‑Chancellor was ordered to immediately withdraw the appointment of 24 aides in his office, citing alleged breaches of due process.

The confidential correspondence, dated 25 June 2026 and obtained by our correspondent, shows that the ministry faulted the appointments and instructed the Vice‑Chancellor to reverse them forthwith, while demanding evidence of compliance without delay.

The letter, referenced FME/HE/SFU/16A/Vol.IV/470, was signed by the Acting Director of University Education, Dr. Kareem O. L., on behalf of the Minister of Education. It described the appointments as irregular and inconsistent with regulations governing Nigeria’s federal universities.

The directive followed the ministry’s review of an internal university memorandum dated 22 June 2026, through which the appointments were reportedly made.

In the leaked communication, the ministry stated that after a careful examination of the appointments and the circumstances surrounding them, the Minister observed that they were “at variance with the extant regulations, established procedures and the principles of due process governing appointments within the Federal University System.”

The ministry subsequently ordered the immediate withdrawal of the appointments and demanded documentary proof that the directive had been implemented.

The development signals an unusually strong intervention by the Federal Government in the administration of one of the country’s foremost technology universities and raises fresh questions about governance practices within federal tertiary institutions.

Beyond the order to cancel the appointments, the leaked letter also summoned the Vice‑Chancellor to Abuja for an urgent meeting with ministry officials on 29 June.

According to the document, discussions at the meeting will extend beyond the controversial appointments to cover wider concerns relating to institutional governance, administrative accountability, due process and compliance with the regulatory framework guiding federal universities.

The summons suggests that the ministry may be scrutinising broader administrative decisions within the institution amid growing concerns over adherence to established procedures.

“The ministry remains committed to promoting transparency, prudence and best practices in the management of our tertiary institutions,” the letter stated, while expressing confidence that the university would comply with the directive.

A copy of the communication was also forwarded to the National Universities Commission (NUC), a move observers say underscores the seriousness of the matter and the potential implications for university governance.

As of the time of filing this report, neither the management of Federal University of Technology, Owerri nor officials of the Federal Ministry of Education had publicly commented on the leaked directive.

The revelation is expected to trigger debate within academic circles, with stakeholders closely watching the outcome of the scheduled engagement between the Vice‑Chancellor and the ministry, as well as its implications for governance, accountability and administrative discretion in Nigeria’s federal university system.