Professor Haruna Musa Dambatta, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academics) and a renowned Professor of Polymer Chemistry, has emerged as the most widely accepted candidate in the Bayero University, Kano (BUK) Vice-Chancellor selection process. His overwhelming support followed the 7th Congregation Parley held on Tuesday, July 1, 2025.
Currently serving as the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academics), Prof. Musa has had a distinguished academic journey since joining BUK as a Graduate Assistant in 1993. He became a full Professor in 2019 and has held several administrative positions, including Head of Department and Deputy Director at the Centre for Renewable Energy and Sustainability Transitions. His leadership at the centre helped drive research innovation in clean energy and sustainability.
He holds a PhD in Polymer Chemistry from the University of Bristol, UK (2009), and has played a key role in strengthening BUK’s international research collaborations. With over 22 published papers in polymer and environmental chemistry, his research has garnered over 11,000 reads and 222 citations on ResearchGate, reflecting his academic impact and visibility.
In a closely observed and transparent congregation election, Prof. Musa received 853 votes more than double that of his closest competitors. Other candidates included Professor Mahmoud Umar Sani (former Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Management Services) with 367 votes, Professor Sani Muhammad Gumel (former Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academics) with 364 votes, Professor Adamu Idris Tanko (former DVC Academics and Administration) with 161 votes, and Professor Bashir Muhd Fagge, who received 18 votes.
Vice-Chancellor Professor Sagir Adamu Abbas, who presided over the parley, explained that community acceptability accounts for 20% of the final criteria used in the VC appointment process. He lauded the transparency and maturity displayed by all participants.
“This process reflects the strength of our democratic and transparent institutional culture,” Prof. Abbas stated. “I encourage all contestants to continue to support the University and rally around whoever is ultimately appointed by the Governing Council.”
Chairman of the Electoral Committee, Professor Muhtari Ali Hajara, confirmed that 1,784 staff were accredited to vote. Of these, 17 votes were invalid and four were unaccounted for. Prof. Musa was formally declared the candidate with the highest number of valid votes.
In a gesture of unity, one of the contestants, Professor Sani Muhammad Gumel, accepted the results and pledged support for Prof. Musa. “The election was fair, transparent, and credible. The result clearly indicates the direction of the University community,” he remarked.
Notable figures including former Minister of Education, Professor Rukayyatu Ahmed Rufa’i, and former NOUN Vice-Chancellor, Professor Abdalla Uba Adamu, congratulated the outgoing VC, Prof. Abbas, for his transformative tenure and commended the transparent selection process.
Muhammad Babandede, OFR, former Comptroller General of Immigration and BUK alumnus, praised the process. “We are very proud of the democratic selection of the Vice-Chancellor in BUK. Other universities should learn from this model. As an alumnus, I can proudly say BUK is teaching Nigerians what a transparent and stable democratic process looks like.”
