Hammed Shittu in Ilorin
The appointment of a new rector at the Federal Polytechnic, Offa, KwaraState is causing ripples among the stakeholders of the institution.
Already, some concerned staff of institution havefaulted the selection process of the search team of the Federal Ministry of Education that was set up to select a new rector.
THISDAY checks revealed that the struggle for who emerges the new rector has divided the polytechnic into various factions in recent time. It was gathered that the search team was accused of not abiding by the law guiding the selection of a new rector and not following the conditions listed in the advertisement in one of the national dailies for the selection and appointment of new rector.
A statement issued by the concerned staff, signed by TajudeenAyokunle, alerted the federal government to the alleged double standard and stage-managing of the selection process by the search team by allegedly trying to impose an unqualified candidate as the new rector.
The group appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari not to allow bias and unacceptable recommendations of the search team to prevail in order to bring peace to the institution.
The statement read: “The clamour by the concerned staff of the Federal Polytechnic, Offa is a progressive one intended to benefit the system, management and staff of the polytechnic by saying the truth and nothing but the truth on the selection of rector at the polytechnic that was faulty, bias and pre-determined to favour a particular candidate.
“While the Buhari administration is busy with the change mantra, the anti-corruption crusade of this administration should not be rubbished by these set of administrators who are supposed to be agents of change.
“Corruption is not limited to stealing money, official stealing and compromise of the selection process on the appointment of the rector is a clear case of official corruption.
“We the concerned staff hastily call on the minister of state for education and the minister of education to personally conduct an independent critical analysis of the whole process vis-à-vis the advertisement for the position of rector, which stated the qualifications and qualities for eligibility to apply for the post.”
The statement added: “The aspirant for the position of substantive rector did not only participate in the elimination exercise of candidates to be invited for the interview, but chaired the meeting of the search team.
“Even, the representative of the ministry of education in the search team connived with the NBTE executive secretary and the registrar of the polytechnic to misinterprete the law governing the appointment of new rector as stated in Section 7.2.b.1 of Federal Polytechnic (Amendments) Decree 5 of January 1, 1993.
“It is also disheartening that one of the aspirants of the rectorship position does not holda degree in any of the discipline offered in the polytechnic as stipulated in the advertisement duly signed by the registrar of the polytechnic for the post of rector.
“The aspirant only had professional Master Degree in Communication Arts from the University of Ibadan and not academic degree and also obtained doctorate degree online at Atlanta International University, Hawaii, USA which the Federal Ministry of Education declared unacceptable in academics.
“How come then, that a candidate with such degree was shortlisted, supported and penciled down for appointment as a rector? Likewise professional master degrees such as MCA and others are not acceptable in academics.”
The group called on the minister for education, the federal government and the minister of state for education to please intervene in this matter urgently in the interest of positive change.
