The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), Bida Chapter has decried the continued running of the Federal Polytechnic, Bida, Niger State by the Rector, Dr Dzukogi Abubakar who voluntarily retired from the service of the institution on June 10, 2020.

According to the letter tendered by Dr Abubakar, his retirement was to enable him to serve his second and final term in office, in line with extant provisions. His appointment was to terminate on February 15, 2021, having attained the mandatory retirement age of 65 years.

Dr. Abubakar was however offered a re-appointment letter signed by the Director of Tertiary Education, Mr Samuel Ojo in which the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu approved. According to the letter, the Rector is to serve out his second and final term in office, until it terminates on May 20, 2023.

In a petition to the Chief of Staff (CoS), Prof. Ibrahim Gambari by the Academic Union, they stated that their appeal to the governing council to advertise the position of the rector was ignored. They added that by the rules of civil service, the Deputy Rector (Academics) should have taken over as acting rector for six months until a new one is appointed.

The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics further called the re-appointment “illegal”, emphasizing that Dr. Dzukogi whose tenure ought to have expired on May 22, 2019, is statutorily not liable for a second tenure re-appointment because he has less than two years to retire from service.