Kano Rep Under Fire Over Comments on Bayelsa Poly

Emmanuel Addeh in Yenagoa

The Ijaw Youth Council, (IYC) Worldwide, on Saturday berated the Member representing Fagge Federal Constituency, Kano State, Mr. Aminu Suleiman over his comments that the Federal Polytechnic in Ekowe, Bayelsa State, was only being attended by rats and lizards.

The IYC stated that the Ijaw nation received the comments by the Chairman, House Committee on Tertiary Education where he cast aspersions on the state of the institution with shock.

In a statement issued by Igbeta Ayebakuro, the IYC’s National Legal Adviser, the group stressed that Suleiman’s comments were unwarranted and was meant to close down the polytechnic and bring untold hardship to both students and staff of the institution.

“The whole nation is aware of the number of pseudo institutions doting the landscape of the north. Suleiman should refocus his energy on sponsoring meaningful bills in the House that will attract development to his educationally disadvantaged people whom he represents.

“The new rebranded IYC under the leadership of President Oweilaemi Pereotubo frowns on a situation where a person uses his office to either score cheap political points or blackmail public servants to curry resources from them”, the group said.

It called on the anti-graft agencies to immediately probe the lawmaker, insisting that the comments smacked of antics to solicit unmerited financial gratification from the Rector and Management of the polytechnic.

According to the IYC, the Federal Polytechnic, Ekowe is bubbling with activities in spite of its rural and remote location and lack of access roads, aside marine transportation.

“The Institution has been admitting students since establishment and has continued to receive acknowledgement even from highly rated bodies like JAMB and has been participating in the activities of unions like the ASUP, which are in themselves clear pointers to the existence of the Institution contrary to Suleiman’s claims.

“The publication is a calculated attempt to cut off the Polytechnic from being funded and bring it to a premature and artificial death to the displeasure of the Ijaw nation.

“It is just one of the few places where the federal government is present in Bayelsa state and has been producing graduates with the requisite skills to man critical aspects of the state, the Niger Delta and the nation”, the youth organisation said.

The IYC advised the chairman to steer clear of Ijaw and Niger Delta issues and use his office to attract access roads to the institution so as to ease the plight of staff and students who spend a fortune weekly due to the absence of roads to the area.

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