Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP),
Akanu Ibiam Federal Polytechnic Unwana, Ebonyi
State chapter, yesterday urged President
Goodluck Jonathan to sack the Supervising
Minister of Education, Chief Nyesom Wike.
The union described as dishertening the
interference of the minister in the appointment of
a new rector for Akanu Ibiam Federal Polytechnic
Unwana, Ebonyi state.
They also accused the minister of imposing a
university professor to be appointed as Rector of
the institution against the law.
They, however, passed a vote of no confidence
on the minister.
The ASUP Uwana Polytechnic Chapter Chairman,
Comrade Edmund Eze Onyeneho, made the call
in a briefing at the polytechnic.
He alleged that the minister wrote to the
Governing Council of the institution to appoint a
new rector from the university against section
7(1)-(6) of the Federal Polytechnic Act 1979
(amended 1993) which stipulates that the person
to be appointed rector must be a chief lecturer.
He noted that appointment of Rectors from
outside the polytechnic is one of the issues
responsible for the ongoing 10-month ASUP
strike.
The union also urged the National Assembly and
President Jonathan to call the minister to order.
Onyeneho said that the minister was trying to
rubbish the good work of the president and the
critical stakeholders in the sector and called on
the Governing Council to resist any intimidation
from any official no matter how highly placed.
They said: “ASUP Akanu Ibiam Federal
Polytechnic demands the immediate removal of
the Minister of State and Supervising Minister of
Education.
“The question re-echos-why Akanu Ibiam Federal
Polytechnic only, why didn’t the minister interfere
in the process of appointing rectors in Ilaro,
Birnin Kebbi, Nasarawa and Mubi?
“It is disheartening, therefore, to learn that the
minister is advising the Governing Council of the
polytechnic to go against the law and do what is
unlawful.
“Perhaps the minister is equating the sector to a
political primary election where he can
manoeuvre and sell tickets to the highest bidder.
Please Mr Minister, academics is not politics the
Nigerian way.
“We, hereby, pass a vote of no confidence on the
person of the supervising minister. He should
honourably resign, else Mr. President should
remove him without further delay.”
