The tenure of the incumbent and the 10th vice-chancellor of the university, Prof Sulyman Age AbdulKareem will end on October 15, 2022.

LEADERSHIP gathered that the 13 candidates who have been shortlisted for the plumb job will face an interviewing panel between 6th and 7th of September, 2022.

The candidates are Professors Hassan Saliu, Olanrewaju Adedoyin, AbdulBaqi AbdulRahim, Wahab Egbewole, Olugbenga Mokuolu, AbdulRaheem Mahmoud and Bashiru Raji.

Others are Professors Katibi Ibraheem, Mikhail Buhari, Mohammed Ibrahim, Isaac Adimula, Babatunde Solagberu and Suleiman Ambali.

Apart from Prof. AbdulBaqi AbdulRahim and Prof Babatunde Solagberu who are external candidates from the University of Maiduguri and Lagos State University respectively, other applicants are staff of the university of Ilorin.

Meanwhile, the University of Ilorin alumni association has called for a level playing ground that will ensure the emergence of the best candidate for the office of the vice chancellor.

In a statement by its national president, Dr Olawale Fasakin and assistant general secretary, Dr Lai Oparinde, the association urged the institution’s authorities to avoid ethnic and religious sentiment in choosing the next vice chancellor.

It warned that it would monitor the process to certify compliance with extant rules and ensure that nothing is done to favour any candidate by reason of ethnicity or religion.

The association said its warning became necessary in view of the crises trailing the selection of new vice chancellors in the country and to ensure that only the best candidate emerges.