The management and staff of the Federal Polytechnic, Nasarawa in the Nasarawa Local Government Area of Nasarawa State have been thrown into confusion following a controversial handover of office to an Overseer following the expiration of tenure of the immediate past Rector of the Polytechnic, Dr. Abdullahi Alhassan Ahmed.
Recall that Ahmed who is the first indigenous Rector of the Polytechnic since it was established in July 1983, was appointed as the substantive Rector of the institution in the year 2018 for a five-year single tenure which had elapsed in December 2023.
When he was appointed into office as Rector, the management and staff of the Polytechnic had praised the federal government for its decision, describing his appointment as well-deserving, taking into account his wealth of experience in the academia and the society at large.
But his admirers within the Polytechnic community have now being greeted with shock and surprises following his alleged decision not to properly handover to an Acting Rector at the expiration of his tenure in December 2023 which contravenes the Federal Polytechnic Acts 2019 as amended.
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.”
But Ahmed seem to have violated this Act for allegedly spearheading the creation of the office of the Polytechnic Overseer and unceremoniously handing over to the Deputy Rector, Academics, Dr. Obarakpo Samuel James, to act in capacity as Overseer, and not as Acting Rector of the Polytechnic.
A circular dated January 2, 2024 which was duly signed by the Registrar of the Polytechnic, Dr. Munir Ahmed, and obtained by our correspondent in Nasarawa State indicated that Dr. Obarakpo Samuel James who was approved by the 9th Governing Council of the institution on June 15, 2022 as Deputy Rector, Academics, is expected to serve as Overseer of the Polytechnic pending further directives from the Federal government.
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.”
But as a result of the appointment, many within the Polytechnic community have started raising questions about the motives of the immediate past Rector who they suspect could be playing games to enable him serve as Acting Rector for another six months.
Speaking on the development on Thursday, a top management staff of the Polytechnic who pleaded anonymity said, “Based on the Federal Polytechnic Act 2019 as amended, the immediate past Rector has obviously done the wrong thing by handing over to an Overseer. His action cannot be seen to be correct since we have laws guarding the conducts of Federal Polytechnics in the country.
“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. If not, why didn’t he inform the Federal Ministry of Education about the expiration of his tenure before time?. If he had informed them, we would not have to wait for a new Rector for too long.
“Although, some persons have alleged that he is collaborating with some top officials at the ministry which gave him the power to do whatever he likes in the Polytechnic. It was also alleged that he left office with his official vehicle and a new Hilux van that was procured two months ago.
“I am therefore, appealing that the federal government should urgently look into the matter so that all the issues surrounding the appointment of a new Rector for the Polytechnic will be completely settled.”
Also reacting to the development, a former Auditor General of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (National) and two term ASUP Chairman of the Federal Polytechnic, Nasarawa, Dr. Hussaini Yusuf, said the controversial handover of the Rector’s office had caused great sadness to many staff of the institution who held the former Rector in high esteem.
“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.
“As it stands now, we are waiting on God to send a succour from somewhere because the situation is not palatable,” he added.
When contacted to get his reaction on the matter, the Director of Press, Federal Ministry of Education, Benjamin Bem-Goong, expressed dismay over the development in the Polytechnic and simply said, “There is nothing like Overseer in the Polytechnic Act.
“There is nothing like Overseer as a designation in the lineup of leadership in the Polytechnic. I will interface with the Director of Polytechnics on the matter.”
Meanwhile, efforts by our correspondent to get the immediate past Rector’s reaction on the matter proved abortive as he did not respond to calls and messages put across to his mobile line.
