Akwa Ibom Polytechnic rector denies imposing kinsman as successor

By ANIEFIOK UDONQUAK, Uyo –

Outgoing Rector of the Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic, Ikot Osurua, Dr Moses Umobong, has denied imposing a yet-to-be appointed kinsman as his successor describing such allegations as baseless.

Umobong, whose tenure ends in November said he lacked powers to influence such appointment stressing that only the governor of the State has the sole and constitutional powers to appoint the Rector of the polytechnic.

A group known as ‘Concerned Annang Citizen’ had claimed that the Rector in collaboration with leaders of the three unions in the Polytechnic: Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, (ASUP), the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Polytechnics (SSANIP) and the Ibibio Union, is sponsoring a preferred successor from his ethnic group, the Ibibios thereby marginalizing the Annangs.

The group said such move if allowed would not only cause disharmony among the ethnic groups in the institution but would lead to institutional crisis by ultimately burying the only state-owned institution of higher learning located in ‘Annang land.’

Umobong in an interview with journalists expressed disappointment how a group whom he described as “faceless” would come up with such allegations adding that in the case of State Polytechnic, all appointments of Principal Officers are made by the Governor.

He regretted that someone could be playing politics of ethnic sentiment in institution of higher learning instead of championing excellence and academic growth.

According to him, “My job is just to write officially to the governor, telling him when I’ll be exiting(which I have already done) and obtain permission to advertise. When that approval is granted; advertisement would be placed and council will conduct interviews. The NBTE is the regulator, they have set up some guidelines for the appointment of a Rector, which must be strictly followed. So how do I come in here?

“During my time, we were eight that applied or contested. We sat for the interview, fortunately for me, I was appointed the Rector. So, are you saying that somebody, should be a sole candidate? Well, if no other person is interested, fine, but if there are other interest groups, they have the right to apply. All these allies are supposed to go to the governor and say, Governor, I warn you, you must appoint this person from this particular ethnic group. To show your supremacy, to show your powers.’

However, Umobong said he would not be distracted by such speculations recalling how he was able to secure 100 percent accreditation of all the courses and programmes of the polytechnic since assumption of office; thereby placing AkwaPoly from the 99th ranking position to 2nd position as the best polytechnic in Nigeria.

‘At the time I took over, the Polytechnic was in the national ranking on the 99th position, 99th position out of a total number of 110 Polytechnics, signifying that there was something professionally wrong. So with the corporation of all the staff and all of us, we were able to put all our efforts together, work hard together.

After two years, ranking came again. The third year of my tenure, we achieved the 18th position. And in 2023, We were ranked second best Polytechnic in Nigeria. Polytechnic Illaro came first, we came second. By the grace of God, the State government has been very supportive, funding us and so on.

“The ranking has to do with the number of valuable factors, part of which would be the number of programs you run and the accreditations you have. I don’t want to take you too far, but I want to tell you that as we speak today, all the programs in the Polytechnic have accreditation. We are not running any illegal programme..

‘I came to meet some of them that have no accreditation, but I secure accreditation for all of them. And then secondly, what is very important to note is, the Department of Mechanical Engineering that only existed on paper work. We have the Department of Mechanical Engineering Technology, Mechatronics Engineering, Welding and Fabrication, no accreditation, we have secured accreditation for all.”