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From Abel Leonard, Lafia
Tension grips the Federal Polytechnic, Nasarawa, as the recent handover of leadership by the former rector, Dr. Abdullahi Alhassan Ahmed, has ignited concerns among the institution’s management and staff.
Calling on the Federal government for urgent intervention in selecting a new Rector, some lecturers had argued that Dr. Alhassan’s departure violates the Federal Polytechnic Act 2019, disrupting the established succession process.
Having completed his five-year term in December 2023, Dr. Alhassan was expected to hand over to the most senior person per the Act, who would act temporarily until the Federal Ministry of Education appointed a substantive Rector. Critics highlight a lack of proper notice to the ministry, violating established protocols.
Sun gathered that going by the stipulation of the Federal Polytechnic Act 2019 as amended, the former rector was supposed to have handed over to the most senior person who is expected to administer activities of the school in acting capacity until the appointment of a substantive Rector by the Federal Ministry of Education.
Commenting on the development on Sunday, a former Chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics of the institution, Dr. Hussaini Yusuf, described the turn of event as sad and unfortunate, adding that the action will taint the integrity of the revered institution and its management.
“We are surprised because when a Rector’s tenure ends, normally an Acting Rector is the person that is handed over to.
“The people are not happy. The matter is beyond us. It is the ministry that should act on it. There is a lacuna in the ministry’s action because they ought to have written to him to handover to another person as the Acting Rector but they have been silent about it,” he stated.
Our correspondent gathered that since the development, questions have aroused as to the real reasons behind the erstwhile rector’s action with many alleging that he may be preparing ground for a return for six months acting mandate.
“I think that the former Rector named our Deputy Rector, Academics as Overseer to acquire time so that when the Governing Council of the Polytechnic is appointed by President Bola Tinubu through the Federal Ministry of Education, he would be able to come back into the system as Acting Rector for another six months before a substantive Rector will be appointed for the school.
“I see it as a deliberate act to remain in power,” a top management staff of the institution, who spoke to journalists in confidence, alleged.
He also alleged the possibility of collusion between some highly placed staff of the ministry and the former rector on the matter.
However, the Director of Press in the Federal Ministry of Education, Benjamin Bem-Goong, doubted such possibility even as he said the position of an overseer is a new creation which has no place in the Federal Polytechnic Act.
“There is nothing like Overseer as a designation in the lineup of leadership in the Polytechnic,” he explained while promising to speak to the Director of Polytechnic in the ministry on the matter.
It was also envisaged that the former rector ought to have put the ministry on notice few months to the expiration of his tenure to enable it prepare for a change of baton.
Section 9 sub-section 5B of the Federal Polytechnic Acts 2019 as amended states that, “The Deputy Rector shall act in the place of the Rector when the post of Rector is vacant or if the Rector is for any reason absent or unable to perform his functions as Rector.”
Meanwhile, investigation indicates that the erstwhile rector rather handed the mantle to Dr. Obarakpo Samuel James, the Deputy Rector, Academics as overseer in violation of the existing Act.
A circular detailing the emergence of Dr. James as overseer and obtained by our correspondent, was dated January 2, 2024 and duly signed by the Registrar of the Polytechnic, Dr. Munir Ahmed.
It reads in part, “Appointment of Polytechnic Overseer: Following the expiration of the tenure of Dr. Abdullahi A. Ahmed (January 2018 – December 2023) as Rector of the Federal Polytechnic, Nasarawa, Dr. Obarakpo Samuel James, at a management meeting held on Tuesday, 2nd January, 2024, has been appointed to Overseer the affairs of the Polytechnic pending further directive from the Federal Ministry of Education to that effect.”
The development, our correspondent learnt has created discontent among the institution top officials with consequent tension within its environment.
Meanwhile, when sun made attempt to contacting the immediate past Rector for his response on the matter, he simply said “All those are mere allegation from detractors.”
