Academic staff kick over recall of Oko Poly rector

PHOTO: easyhometutor.com

A coalition of the staff of the Federal Polytechnic, Oko, Anambra State, under the aegis of the Joint Action of Unions, made up of Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Polytechnics (SSANIP), has kicked against the circumstances surrounding recall of the Rector, Prof Godwin Onu, by the institution’s Governing Council.

Onu, who resumed duties about two weeks ago, was earlier suspended by the Council, following his investigation and arraignment by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Offenses Commission (ICPC) on an 18-count charge on Jan 16, this year.

In a letter dated September 25, this year and addressed to Council, the unions wondered why Onu’s recall came amidst outstanding indictment, investigations and pending arraignment in court for 18-count charge bothering on fraud and deliberate misrepresentation of facts on oath.

The unions, piqued by the manner he was recalled and his resumption of duties, reminded the Council of their earlier petition over the matter. The Council was said to have issued a query to the rector, citing relevant civil service rule and similar cases involving top federal government officials so disciplined.

The rector was said to have urged the Council to allow him to avail them a formal response.

In the earlier letter, jointly signed by ASUP Chairman of ASUP, Godson Okeoma, and his SSANIP counterpart, Inno Okeke, said Onu’s continued stay in office was injurious to the integrity of the case in court and therefore urged the Council to invoke the full authorities to save the polytechnic from further slide, fearing that anything short of that could compel the federal government to take action.

The unions drew the attention of the Council to the corruption charges which the ICPC had commenced legal action in the suit, which Charge No A/35c/2016 dated Oct 18,2016 is still pending in the Awka High Court for conspiracy to defraud the Commission some N1 Billion.

The Unions said it was surprised that contrary to an earlier Ministerial directive that the Rector should hand over the affairs of the Polytechnic to his deputy pending the conclusion of his trial which was first slated for hearing in March 2017 at the High Court of the Chief Justice of Anambra State.