EXCLUSIVE: ICPC Probes Umar Amidst Plot To Make Him KadPoly Substantive Rector
BY SEGUN ADEBAYO, ABUJA
The crisis rocking the Kaduna Polytechnic over the appointment of a new substantive rector has assumed an inscrutable dimension as the Governing Council recently recommended the Ag. Rector, Dr Suleiman Umar, for appointment as a substantive rector despite being probed by the Independent Corrupt and Malpractices Commission (ICPC).
The polytechnic’s Governing Council, led by 90-year old Senator Mohammed Mohammed, on November 17, 2021 had approved the extension of another six months for Dr Umar to serve on an acting capacity; an action that violates the Polytechnic (Amendment) Act 2019 that forbids such further extension.
Violation of Polytechnic Act
The Polytechnic (Amendment) Act 2019, as obtained by our reporter, clearly states that: “In the case of vacancy in the office of the Rector, the Council shall appoint an Acting Rector who should not be in office for more than six months”.
The National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), had in November 2021 written to the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Education, through the FME’s Director, Polytechnics, seeking to stop the granting of another six-month tenure for Dr Umar whose first six-month was not to be renewed as provided for in the Polytechnic (Amendment) Act 2019.
According to the letter that was signed by the NBTE Executive Secretary, Professor Idris M. Bugaje, “I write to inform you that the Governing Council of the Kaduna Polytechnic, currently meeting in the institution, has extended the tenure of the Ag. Rector beyond six months, until a new Rector is appointed. This is against the provisions of the Polytechnic Act as amended and attached. It is also against the legal advice given by Abdullahi Ibrahim and Partners Chambers as attached.
“This action of the Council amounts to violation of the Polytechnic Act and the ministry should approve steps to reverse this illegality. I had advised the Ag. Rector and Registrar verbally not to embark on extension of tenures but to no avail.
“Dr. Suleiman became the Acting Rector on 14th April, 2021, when I was appointed Executive Secretary of the NBTE. The Council ratified on 18th May, 2021 and on the 7th November, the mandate ended.
“There are already allegations of financial inducements of the Governing Council, among others allegations.
Sir, you may wish to note that this provision of 6 months acting period without extension has been complied with in Mubi and Auchi in spite of the challenges in these Institutions.
“In the future, the Ministry should direct that all sitting acting Rectors should not be applicants to vacant positions and if they are interested in applying, they should step aside and allow another Ag. Rector to be appointed due to the experiences we are having from Federal Polytechnic Mubi and KadPoly”.
Senate’s support for illegality
Worried by the hues and cries that trailed the extension, the Senate Committee on Tertiary Education summoned both the Governing Council and the Ag. Rector, NBTE, among other relevant officials.
“Instead of denying Dr Umar of a six-month illegal extension, he held tight to his position and refused to allow equity to play out. The man illegally occupying the position of Acting Rector became the favoured child of the Governing Council that wasted no time to exclude candidates from participating in the interview exercise; thus foreclosing any possibility of posing a threat to Dr Umar’s appointment as substantive rector.
“Even when the NBTE made it clear that the extension of Dr Umar’s acting position was in violation of the Polytechnic (Amendment) Act 2019, the relevant committees of the National Assembly on Tertiary Education looked the other way while an unimaginable heist was foisted in the continued appointment of Dr Umar as Ag. Rector remained unchallenged.
In a clear demonstration that the Governing Council of the Kaduna Polytechnic was irrevocably committed to appointing Dr Umar as substantive Rector against all odds, the interview panel excluded other strong candidates like Prof Muhammad. S. Yahaya, from the list of candidates to be interviewed for the substantive position of rector.
Of the three candidates forwarded to the Honourable Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, by the Governing Council, this news medium was reliably informed that Dr Yahaya Saleh Ibrahim, who is the Provost of the College of Health Sciences, Kaduna State University (KASU), Makarfi Campus, came top, with an initial score of 71% that was allegedly reduced to 69% the second day.
More worrisome is the fact that Dr Umar who is desperate for the job is being probed over the award of over 100 IGR contracts without due process by the ICPC.
“Out of the three candidate submitted to the Ministry for eventual appointment, Dr Umar does not have the technical expertise to serve as a substantive rector as he does not have the requisite qualifications to head a polytechnic.
“His area of specialty is not in core technical field but in Math Education. To show how he is unconcerned with the academic progress of the Polytechnic, he has not found it expedient to establish a Department of Maths Education in Kaduna Polytechnic,” the source disclosed.
Following petitions and rancour that may ensue if Dr Umar is appointed as the substantive rector, a source confirmed to this reporter that the NBTE Executive Secretary has called on the Minister of Education not to approve the appointment of Dr Umar as recommended by the Kaduna Polytechnic Council.
The source confirmed that the NBTE has called for the cancellation of the interview so as to ensure a competent candidate with the requisite knowledge is appointed.
Prof Yahaya Cries Foul
A lecturer with KASU, Prof. Muhammad Sani Yahaya, had cried foul for being excluded by Kaduna Polytechnic Governing Council from candidates seeking to be rector of the institution. In a press statement, Yahaya said he was disqualified by the institution’s Governing Body because he was now teaching at KASU on Secondment from Kaduna Polytechnic.
He accused the Governing Council of violating the Polytechnic Act 2019 by disqualifying a candidate who applied for a post of the Rector of Kaduna Poly on the ground that he was a Professor teaching in a university.
The Professor of Agriculture appealed to Minister of Education, Governor Nasir Ahmad el-Rufai, Emir of Zazzau, Executive Secretary of NBTE, Chairman House Committee on Tertiary Education and Services, among other relevant personalities, to prevail on the Kadpoly Governing Council to rescind its decision in the interest of fairness, justice and the rule of law.
”I have been illegally excluded from the interview for the post of Rector Kaduna Poly in a gross violation of my unalienable right and out of four other candidates that rose to the rank of Chief Lecturers from same institution. Three, including the current acting rector, were called for interview while I was deliberately excluded which is very unfair. I believe I was also discriminated against on purpose in favour of selected and favoured candidates for the post, while we are all equal in the sight of the law,” he said.
Professor Yahaya confirmed to this reporter that a top FME official has called him and assured him that he petition to the ministry was being handled, promising to get back to him as soon as possible. As at Monday February 21, 2022, silence has been the response when he called to find out how long he would have to wait for a response over his petition demanding his inclusion for the interview he was excluded from participating.
‘Respect Polytechnic Act by Removing Dr Umar’
A reliable source disclosed to Forefront that the appointment of a new substantive rector has been marred by personal interests that are fueled by pecuniary benefits.
“To ensure that a new substantive rector is appointed devoid of rancour and post-appointment hassles, the best is now is for the right thing to be done. Remove Dr Umar from perpetuating the illegality of being in office and create a level-laying ground for all candidates, including Professor Yahaya, to participate in the interview exercise. Anything short of this is unacceptable.
“The continued occupation of the office of the Acting Rector by Dr Umar is a violation of the relevant laws of the Polytechnic Act. If the process is to be cleansed and due process followed, Dr Umar must be shown the way out. What the Ministry and the Minister of Education must do now is to show Dr Umar the way out and set up a new panel to independently interview candidates for the appointment.
“Members of the Kaduna Polytechnic Governing Council has shown themselves as partial umpires in the process. For justice to prevail, favouritism must be banished. The Ministry must not risk foisting a culture of uncertainty over Kaduna Polytechnic through the appointment of Dr Umar who is presently undergoing investigations”, the source declared.
