Indications are that Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri of Adamawa state is dropping his deputy, Crowther Seth, for Professor Kaletapwa Farauta for the 2023 governorship election.
The move is connected to the emergence of Hajiya Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed Binani as the All Progressives Congress, APC, governorship candidate.
To me, picking Farauta is a good decision, considering the fact that she hails from the southern zone of the state but resides in the northern zone. Another advantage is that she is a female and an academic.
Moreover, she was appointed as acting vice chancellor, Adamawa State University, Mubi by the then Governor Muhammad Umar Jibrillah Bindow of APC and confirmed by Governor Fintiri.
However, there are allegations against the academic on how her management of the university.
The Muslim Council in the state had accused the vice chancellor of discriminating against Muslims in the institution.
In a letter to the VC signed by the Adamawa Chairman of the Muslim Council, Mallam Gambo Jika, Farauta was accused of marginalising Muslims in areas of admission, appointment and promotion during her tenure as acting VC of the institution.
‘‘The Muslim Council of Adamawa State wishes to use this medium to felicitate with you over your recent selection as the substantive vice chancellor of Adamawa State University, Mubi.
“While the council wishes you successful tenure in office, it also wishes to quickly draw your attention to some basic facts of maladministration about your stewardship of the university, as acting vice chancellor before your recent selection as a substantive vice chancellor.
“The council is not unaware of so many actions against Muslims which characterised your administration and have already become an open secret. Among such irregularities that are known to the council was lopsidedness over the years in students’ admission, staff promotion, staff appointments to key academic and administrative positions, staff sponsorship for seminars/ conferences, fellowship awards, and many others which were all tilted towards the benefits of Christian staff, at the detriment of Muslims, thereby, marginalising the Muslims,” the letter said.
A staff of the university who simply identified himself as Dada said: “I am a victim in area of promotion and another issue I want to highlight is the mass employment made by Farauta which is lopsided.
“We want Adamawa government to look into that employment the way it did with employment at the state polytechnic.
“She was appointed by past administration of Governor Bindow to address crisis between staff and management of the institution but some of her actions look more like she is trying to open another chapter of conflict that could result to developments worse than imagine”.
Therefore, the governor should not only focus on picking a female as running mate just to beat APC but should also look at his/her track records.
The opportunities, weaknesses, strengths and threats should be scrutinised.
Bilyaminu Gambo Kong-kol,
Mass Communication Department,
Bayero University, Kano
[email protected]