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The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has written the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, demanding the removal of five federal polytechnic rectors who were sacked by the court.
The National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) recently sacked the federal polytechnic rectors appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari because their appointment breached the Polytechnic Act, 2019.
Justice A.O. Obaseki-Osaghae, who delivered the judgment, also barred the five defendants from parading themselves as rectors of the five federal polytechnics.
The letter, dated March 16, 2023, signed by the national president of ASUP, Mr. Anderson Ezeibe, copied the executive secretary, National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), chairman of Chairmen of Governing Councils of Federal Polytechnics in Nigeria, the chairman, Committee of Heads of Polytechnics and Colleges of Technology, and the chairman, Committee of Federal Rectors.
ASUP called for the immediate de-recognition of the affected persons as rectors of the polytechnics, a directive to the governing councils of the affected polytechnics to commence the process for the appointment of new rectors for the affected institutions in accordance to the law.
Ezeibe also drew the attention of the government to the appointment of Prof. Mohammed Mgaji and Dr. Duke Okoro as the rectors of the new federal polytechnics in Kano and Delta states, respectively. He added that the appointments were equally in violation of the provisions of the Federal Polytechnics Act, as the purported appointees do not possess the required qualifications to be so appointed.
“We, therefore, equally request the removal of the persons purportedly appointed, with a view to the appointment of competent and qualified persons as rectors of the new federal polytechnics. The enrolled judgment of the suit NICN ABJ/117/2021 is attached for clarity.”
The union said it expected the minister to act on the judgment and assured him of the utmost regards of the union.
Ezeibe said the union’s demand for the sack of the five rectors was based on a court order, which declared their appointment illegal and asked them to stop parading themselves as rectors of the federal polytechnics.
ASUP listed the rectors to include, Prof. Edwin Onyeneje, Federal Polytechnic Ohodo, Enugu State, Dr. Terlumun Utser, Federal Polytechnic Wannune, Benue State, Prof. Edward Ntse Okey, Federal Polytechnic Ugep, Cross State, Dr. Zakari Mukailu Ya’u, Federal Polytechnic Shendam, Plateau State and Prof. Garba Mohammed Ngala, Federal Polytechnic Monguno, Borno State.
