BY UBON EKANEM, CALABAR – Good Governance Advocacy international (GGAI) has tasked the Federal Government to ensure equity, fairness and federal character consideration in appointing the Rector for Federal Polytechnic Ugep in Cross River State.
The Director General of GGAI, Sir Leonard Anyogor, who made the call in Calabar, the Cross River State capital, said the organization is troubled by the current protest rocking the institution over the Rector’s appointment.
Sir Anyogor said GGAI’s call for immediate intervention by the government is to ensure that normalcy returns to the institution for the sake of its development and overall peace within the host communities.
He also drew federal government attention to the fact that the protest is not only an expression of grievances over perceived marginalisation but also an indicator of insecurity, especially against the backdrop that there is no Cross River indigene among the Committee of Rectors of Federal Polytechnics in the country.
According to the GGAI Director General, for equity sake, the President should seriously consider and approved the recommendation by the Institution’s Governing Council that Dr Okimba Peter Otaba emerged the best candidate in the Rectorial interview to avoid the continued disruption of academic activities and programmes in the institution.
Sir Anyogor further stated that as one of the All Progressives Congress (APC) strong political base in the country, Cross River State deserves to enjoy powerful sense of belonging to reassure the people that they are truly reckoned with in the ruling party,Forefront News recalled that President Bola Tinubu recently approved the appointment of Dr. Makoji Stephen, a seasoned administrator, as the new Rector of Federal Polytechnic Ugep, Cross River State.
Presidency sources said his appointment, expected to take effect from March 17, 2026, for a single tenure of five years in line with the Polytechnic Act 2019 (as amended), reinforces the government’s commitment to merit-driven leadership in Nigeria’s tertiary education sector.
Until this new appointment, Dr Makoji served as Chief Lecturer in the Department of Public Administration at the Federal Polytechnic, Idah, and as an Adjunct Faculty member in the Department of Public Policy and Administration at Miva Open University, Nigeria.
