Academic Activities Return to Fedpoly Offa After Crisis of Confidence Between ASUP, Mgt.

Hammed Shittu in Ilorin Academic activities were on Monday restored to the Federal Polytechnic (Fedpoly), Offa, Kwara State after crisis of confidence between the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) and the school management. Already, the suspended semester examinations of the institution also commenced Monday on the two campuses. ASUP had September 15, 2026 withdrew its services pending the restoration of alleged security concerns raised by the institution. There has been a misunderstanding between the school authorities and ASUP over holding of council’s meetings outside the polytechnic campuses for alleged insecurity. ASUP specifically accused the management of misinforming the Federal Ministry of Education to justify holding of its meetings outside the polytechnic. ASUP, in a letter to the Chairman, Governing Council, Federal Polytechnic Offa, Kwara State signed by its Chairman, Yemi Alabi, said members withdrew their services since September 15, 2026 as a result of alleged security concerns as raised by the institution. The letter entitled: ‘RE: Holding of governing council meetings outside the polytechnic,’ read: “It is no news that our institution has been plagued with unprecedented industrial disharmony over the year and this instability has been reiterated by the union to be hinged on poor working conditions, declining staff welfare, uninhabitable working environment etal. “But the council has turned a blind eye on these palpable concerns.” Alabi alleged that the council had justified alleged insecurity as the reason for the shift of council meetings to Ilorin, the state capital, adding that during a meeting on September 12, this year council recapitulated. Alabi added: “On the strength of the above, the union is compelled to conclude that the governing council has failed entirely in their oversight functions; that the rector and the governing council have conducted themselves in ways capable of tampering with the peace of the institution and host community; that the governing council/rector have misinformed the Federal Ministry of Education and channelled them towards an administrative error; that the institution is no longer safe for staffers. “Consequently, the union is hereby calling for the immediate suspension of.the Rector, Engr. Kamoru Kadiri, for alleged sundry malfeasance, while also giving a vote of no confidence on the principal officers and governing council. “This correspondence is also a formal communication if the immediate and withdrawal of services.of academic staff till we have a remedy to security concerns by the ministry of education.” Approving the request, Director (Polytechnic Education and Allied Institutions) on behalf of the Minister of Education, Mrs Igwe Amy K, said that the meetings be conducted with strict adherence to due process. Mrs Igwe said: “I am directed to convey you the approval of the Hon Minister, for the Governing Council and Council’s statutory committee’s meetings to be convened at temporarily suitable venues outside the confines of the polytechnic due to security reasons, as you requested.” Speaking with journalists in Ilorin Monday on the state of the polytechnic, the Rector, Kadir, said that normal academic activities are now ongoing at the institution after a few days of disruption. “As I am talking to you our semester exams are ongoing. As par the allegation of holding meetings outside the premises of the school, council sought approval from the Education Minister,” the rectory said. Kadiri, in a letter on behalf of the governing council of the school to education minister in August this year, obtained by THISDAY, claimed that: “The decision to hold council and committee meetings outside the polytechnic should not be construed as a departure from the statutory responsibilities of the governing council or a definition of the authority of the polytechnic. “Rather, it is a temporary and precautionary administrative measure adopted in the overriding interest of institutional stability, effective governance, personal security and the uninterrupted discharge of the council’s statutory functions.” Kadir therefore urged the union to allow peace reign supreme so as to advance the academic excellence of the institution.