ASUP urges Alia to reinstate sacked Benue Poly rector

The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, ASUP, Benue State Polytechnic, Ugbokolo Chapter, and the Concerned Idoma Senior Staff Association of the institution have appealed to Governor Hyacinth Alia to reverse the recent removal of Dr. Nathaniel Oche as the rector of the polytechnic.

Oche, who was appointed rector of the institution in May for a five year tenure, was recently removed from office by the governor.

Addressing the media on Wednesday in Makurdi after its congress, the Chairman of ASUP Benue Polytechnic chapter, Comrade David Owuna recalled how the institution was ran in acting capacity for 18 months contrary to the provisions of the law, before the appointment of Oche, the first rector from the host community.

The union maintained that Oche had done exceptionally well within the short period he ran the institution and had taken right decisions and made appropriate appointments that had created industrial harmony in the institution hence the resolve of the union to call for the reversal of his sack.

The union noted that “in his brief stay in office so far as the Rector of the Polytechnic, Dr. Oche has succeeded in bringing about relative peace both within and outside the campus. He has also been very liberal in the appointments of staff, a situation that had eluded the polytechnic for about two decades.

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“His coming as rector has greatly unified staff of the school with respect to harmonious working relationship; and with these, a new phase of relative developments is gradually being entrenched in the polytechnic, only now to hear of his removal from office tied to the report of a visitation panel believed to be false.”

The union also expressed surprise that the appointments of Deputy Rectors, Administration and Academics and other appointments made by the Rector that were denied the polytechnic in the past were also reversed by the Commissioner of Education for unexplained reasons.

“This therefore, is the crux of the matter, and it is totally unacceptable to members.

“In view of the above, and given that if there was any misdeeds by the Rector, he has not been given any fair hearing; the union hereby appeal to the Governor and the Visitor to the Polytechnic to kindly re-consider his decision concerning the removal of Dr. Nathaniel Oche as the Rector of Benue State Polytechnic, Ugbokolo, for industrial harmony and peaceful coexistence.”

Also, the Concerned Idoma Senior Staff Association of the institution at the briefing through its Chairman, Jude Eza noted that the Rector was appointed legally but the termination of his appointment did not follow due process since he was not given fair hearing in line with part X I, section 45 of the Benue State Polytechnic, Ugbokolo Law Cap 160 of Benue State, 2004.

He said the visitation panel was set up by the State Government to look at affairs of the Polytechnic from the year 2016-2023, the period within which the Rector was barely three months in office.

Comrade Eza enquired when the Panel report submitted and white paper released to warrant the recommendation to terminate the rector’s appointment.

He appealed to the Governor and visitor of the Polytechnic to kindly reverse the termination of the appointment of the rector for the continuous smooth running of the Polytechnic.