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The ongoing leadership tussle at the Federal Polytechnic, Ukana, has escalated into a standoff between the Governing Council and the Federal Ministry of Education, following allegations of procedural violations in the appointment of principal officers.
The controversy centers on the selection of the Registrar, Bursar, and Polytechnic Librarian, positions the Ministry insists were filled contrary to its directive.
The institution’s Governing Council, led by its Chairman, Alhaji Abubakar Yusuf, has denied allegations of defying the Ministry’s instructions.
Speaking on the matter, Yusuf distanced himself from the selection process, citing health reasons for his absence during the contentious interviews.
“I was not part of the panel that conducted the interviews. Any official response to the Minister would have come from those involved in the process,” he stated.
The Ministry of Education in a letter made avai to our correspondent in Uyo on Wednesday, dated 27 September,2024, with the captioned: Report of the 22nd Meeting of the Governing Council Held on 11 September 2024″ signed by Dr. Ejeh ,A.U on behalf of the Minister of Education, had directed the Governing Council to follow due process in the selection of a substantive Rector while the offices of the Registrar, Bursar and Polytechnic Librarian were to be re-advertised.
While the Council appeared to comply initially by focusing on the Rector’s appointment, it reportedly proceeded with interviews for the other positions on October 5, 2024, a date that coincided with the Local Government Election in the state, contrary to the Ministry’s instructions.
The appointments of Mr. Jeremiah Akpabio as Registrar and Mr. Michael Akpan Essien as Bursar, allegedly conducted under questionable circumstances, have been met with resistance from various quarters. Both the Acting Rector, QS Uduak Inyang-Udoh, and the Ministry’s representative, Mr. Oliye Fani Frank, boycotted the interviews, citing procedural irregularities.
The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) had also expressed disapproval, describing the appointments as a violation of the Polytechnic Act. The union threatened industrial action if the appointments were not nullified and the process restarted in accordance with due process.
Adding to the complexity of the situation, allegations have surfaced that thugs were hired to intimidate Ministry representatives during an emergency Governing Council meeting. This, coupled with claims that Akpabio leveraged political connections to secure the position, has raised concerns about undue interference in the institution’s governance.
In a petition to the House of Representatives, Mr. Akpabio has sought intervention to overturn the Ministry’s rejection of his appointment. Critics argue that this move aims to undermine the authority of the Ministry and maintain the controversial appointments.
The Ministry of Education has therefore reiterated its stance, directing the re-advertisement of the contested positions to ensure transparency and adherence to the Polytechnic Act. Despite these directives, the Governing Council has allegedly shown reluctance to comply, further deepening the impasse.
