The Akwa Ibom State University (AKSU) is again missing from the latest list of universities approved to run law programmes in Nigeria, renewing scrutiny of Governor Umo Eno’s earlier claim that his defection to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) helped secure approval for the faculty.
The Council for Legal Education (CLE) released an updated list of 117 universities authorised to offer Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) programmes in the country and warned prospective students against enrolling in unaccredited law faculties. It also stated that graduates of institutions without approval would not be admitted into the Nigerian Law School.
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However, AKSU was not among the institutions listed by the council.
The omission marks the second time the university has been excluded from the council’s approved list since Governor Eno publicly linked the establishment of the law faculty to his political alignment with the APC.
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Eno’s claim under scrutiny
In November 2025, shortly after announcing his support for President Bola Tinubu and the APC, Mr Eno suggested that the state had begun reaping benefits from its new political relationship with the federal government.
Among the examples cited by the governor was what he described as approval for the establishment of a law faculty at AKSU.
Speaking during a public event, Mr Eno said: “The law faculty has been approved because we are no longer fighting.”
The governor’s statement generated widespread debate and criticism, with opposition politicians accusing him of portraying federal approvals as political rewards.
PREMIUM TIMES had reported that official records and comments from regulatory authorities did not support the governor’s claim that approval for the law programme had anything to do with political connections.
Previous exclusion
In March, the Council for Legal Education published a list of 114 universities approved to run law programmes nationwide. AKSU was absent from that list, prompting fresh questions about the status of the proposed faculty.
PREMIUM TIMES subsequently reported that despite the governor’s boast, the university had not received the necessary approval from the council.
The latest list released by the council has again failed to include the institution, suggesting that approval remains pending.
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What the council says
In the updated notice, the council reiterated that only approved institutions are authorised to admit students into law programmes and warned that attendance at unapproved faculties could jeopardise graduates’ admission into the Nigerian Law School.
The council said it would continue to update the list in line with its statutory responsibility to regulate legal education in Nigeria.
For now, the continued absence of AKSU from the council’s approved list raises fresh questions about the status of the university’s law programme.
Only two universities in Akwa Ibom — the University of Uyo and Topfaith University — have approval to run law programmes.
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