The inauguration of the newly appointed Vice-Chancellor of Federal University Dutse (FUD), Professor Ahmad Muhammed Gumel, is set to hold on Tuesday, February 10, 2026, as scheduled.
Barrister Shamsu Ubale Jubrin, counsel to the Federal University Governing Council and 22 others, confirmed this in a statement to the FUD Newsletter.
The confirmation follows a legal challenge filed by Professor Abdulsalam Balarebe, one of the applicants for the VC position, who had sought to restrain the Governing Council and other defendants from conducting the swearing-in and handover ceremony.
Barrister Jubrin stated that the council presented overwhelming evidence, backed by official documents, proving that the selection process was conducted transparently and in full compliance with the advertised qualifications for the VC position.
He added that the counsel representing Professor Balarebe failed to provide evidence showing any breach of due process in the appointment of Professor Gumel.
According to Jubrin, Professor Gumel met all the requirements for the role, scoring the highest marks during the interview process, which led the Governing Council to appoint him as the fourth substantive Vice-Chancellor of the university.
He further revealed that the court did not grant the request to halt the inauguration but instead adjourned the case to February 23, 2026, after the ceremony. Jubrin described this as a technical victory for both the Governing Council and Professor Gumel.
During Thursday’s court sitting, Jubrin said he presented unimpeachable evidence proving that Professor Gumel satisfies the minimum eligibility criterion of 15 years of university service.
He also disclosed that he plans to present two crucial motions when the case resumes on February 23, which he described as key to the ongoing proceedings.
