The former U.S. president, Joe Biden, had barely spent a year in office when he hinted at his intention to contest for a second term, even though he would be 82 years old in 2025. The newly elected U.S. president, who is now 79 (in 2025), did not wait long after being sworn in for his second and final term before making statements that many interpreted as a desire to run for a third term—despite its clear unconstitutionality. This illustrates how the power of incumbency often comes with intense pressure and temptation, requiring extraordinary emotional intelligence to navigate the “banana peels” of power and the relentless demands of overzealous supporters.
Power can be intoxicating. High expectations and the privileges of incumbency often leave leaders vulnerable. This article explores how the power of incumbency frequently brings more losses than gains, focusing on the role of emotional intelligence—an area where women, including Prof. Aisha Maikidi, former Vice-Chancellor of Uniabuja, tend to excel.
Undue Expectations and Pressure to Succeed
It’s common for deputies or seconds-in-command to face immense pressure and expectations to succeed their bosses, almost as if it were their birthright. People constantly remind them of their anticipated rise to the top, offering prayers and good wishes as if it’s guaranteed. When former President Goodluck Jonathan was pressured not to contest for the presidency due to the zoning arrangement after the demise of President Yar’Adua, Chief Edwin Clark argued that it would be unjust to deny a sitting president the chance to seek re-election.
The journey to leadership is often fraught with undue expectations and temptation. Society assumes that a deputy, given proximity to power, should naturally succeed. This belief creates a dangerous trap, causing many to lose more to the power of incumbency than they gain from it.
Suspicion and Legitimacy Crisis
The power of incumbency often breeds suspicion and questions of legitimacy. There is always anxiety that incumbents might exploit their position for unfair advantage. The outcome of any election or selection process is often judged based on whether the incumbent wins or loses. A victory for the incumbent raises suspicions of manipulation, while a loss is celebrated as evidence of a credible process.
In the case of Prof. Aisha, it wasn’t just the power of incumbency that made her vulnerable but also the unusual circumstances that led to the re-advertisement of the Vice-Chancellor position—a process driven by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), from which she inadvertently benefitted.
Fairness and Perceptions of Justice
There’s a lesson in this: people rarely perceive candidacy from an incumbent as fair. A referee should never play the role of a player without inviting accusations of bias. This suspicion harmed Prof. Aisha, regardless of her competence. The argument that she was unqualified for the role of Vice-Chancellor remains controversial, but what is clear is that there were other candidates with more years of experience.
Interestingly, Prof. Aisha’s prior roles—as Dean of the Faculty of Law, Director, and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academics)—were never tainted by accusations of incompetence. Her achievements, including becoming the youngest female professor of law in northern Nigeria, were widely celebrated. Furthermore, it is within the Governing Council’s discretion to set the criteria for appointing a Vice-Chancellor, and the requirement of 10 years in the professorial rank is not binding.
The Trap of Incumbency and Prevailing Conditions
Prof. Aisha’s loss wasn’t solely due to the power of incumbency but also the unique circumstances surrounding the re-advertisement of the Vice-Chancellor position. Ironically, she had been part of the administration under Prof. Abdul-Rasheed Na’Allah that initially set the five-year professorial experience requirement—a decision later rejected by ASUU Uniabuja.
This article does not intend to defend Prof. Aisha but to highlight how undue pressure, unchecked emotions, and power can make anyone—no matter how competent—vulnerable. The Federal Government’s decision to ensure that acting Vice-Chancellors are ineligible for substantive appointment is a commendable step toward mitigating this vulnerability.
The Role of Emotional Intelligence and Women in Leadership
The selection of a woman from Plateau State as the acting Vice-Chancellor is noteworthy. Plateau and Niger States have historically been underrepresented in key leadership positions at Uniabuja. The appointment of a woman reflects a conscious effort to address this imbalance and aligns with research indicating that women possess higher emotional intelligence than men.
Studies using tools like the Emotional Quotient Inventory (EQ-i) and the Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT) consistently show that women outperform men in emotional intelligence tasks. Social Role Theory suggests that women are socialized to be more emotionally expressive and nurturing, enhancing their emotional intelligence. Evolutionary Psychology and neurobiological research further support these findings, noting differences in brain structure and hormonal influences that contribute to women’s emotional processing abilities.
It’s important to note that while these findings are based on general trends, emotional intelligence varies significantly among individuals and can be developed with practice and experience.
Prof. Aisha’s success over the years can largely be attributed to her emotional intelligence, which helped her manage her position effectively—even during challenging moments like the five-month university strike. However, in this instance, the same emotional sensitivity that had served her well may have contributed to her vulnerability in the face of power dynamics and unclear restrictions on eligibility for re-appointment.
History shows that only a few individuals—such as Nelson Mandela and former President Abdulsalami Abubakar—are known for relinquishing power willingly despite having the opportunity to hold onto it. The lesson remains: managing power requires not just competence but a rare combination of self-restraint, humility, and emotional intelligence.
