Tension is mounting at the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) over an allegedly unauthorized two-week tenure extension granted to Executive Secretary Prof. Idris Bugaje by the Minister of Education
There is growing unrest at the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) headquarters in Kaduna following the purported two-week tenure extension of the Executive Secretary, Prof. Idris Bugaje, whose term officially expired on March 14, 2026. Staff members and sources within the Federal Ministry of Education have raised concerns over the legality of the extension, which was reportedly granted by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa. Critics argue that such powers are the exclusive prerogative of President Bola Tinubu, leading to questions regarding the procedural validity of the Minister’s directive while a formal decision on a second term remains pending.
The atmosphere at the Board has been further strained by the circulation of a suspected AI-generated image appearing to show Dr. Alausa presenting a reappointment letter to Prof. Bugaje. Despite the skepticism among the workforce, an internal memo dated March 16, 2026, issued by the Executive Secretary’s office, sought to clarify the situation by citing official correspondence from the Ministry. The memo indicated that a formal recommendation for a second term has been submitted to the Presidency and that the current extension serves as a stop-gap measure during the transition period.
The internal communication, signed by the Special Assistant to the Executive Secretary, Prof. Diya’uddeen Basheer Hasan, aimed to reassure staff of the administrative continuity. The memo stated: “This is to inform all staff of NBTE that the Minister of Education has submitted a memo for the second term of Prof Idris Bugaje as the Executive Secretary of the Board. As we await the approval of Mr. President, the Minister has also given extension to the Executive Secretary as conveyed in a letter the Permanent Secretary with reference number FNE/S.75/IV/415 dated 13th March 2026.”
READ THE FULL STORY IN SAHARA REPORTERS
NEWS NOW:
