…Says, “No letter to that effect by Buhari; I was suspended, sacked for my stance” – Engr. Abdullahi
by Achadu Gabriel, Kaduna
As the crises in KadPoly linger on, Chairman of Academic Staff Union of Polytechnic (ASUP), Kaduna Polytechnic chapter, Engr. Abubakar Jibrin Abdullahi, says the Union is totally against the school management over the sale of the institution’s properties.
He made the disclosure, while clarifying the Union’s positions on lingering faceoff over aggrieved staff petition against the school authorities on alleged illegal carve-out and sale of the properties of the Federal Government institution.
His words: “ASUP is against the sales of Kaduna Polytechnic institutional properties, be it within or outside the institution,” he stated.
The chairman also recalled that, “At an Emergency Congress Meeting held on 6th December, 2022, the Congress resolved that Kadpoly institutional properties are not for sale now or in the future.
“In 2011, some staff resident in the quarters wanted a situation where they’re given the houses as ‘leased,’ but former Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Mrs. Amma Peppe, visited the institution when I was the General Secretary then, and came up with a position in clear terms that Kaduna Polytechnic institutional properties within or outside the institution are not for sale now or in the future.
“It was meant for expansion and for future development for the generation yet on born. The management then circulated it in the institution’s News Letter,” he emphasized.
He also stated that, “This time around, the management and some of the staff resident in the quarters wanted to defraud the institution from its asset under the pretend of ‘Monetization policy of 2005 Lagos Nigeria.’
“The Union rose and rejected it via a letter to the Honourable Minister of Education. The Permsec then replied via a letter, dated 20th January, 2023, that the properties are not for sale or lease.
“The same management circulated a letter, dated 26th January, 2023, to all staff to comply. Unfortunately, both the management and those resident in quarters didn’t respect the directives; so, the Union took the matter to the Federal High Court in Kaduna against the management, Government Council, Presidential implementation Committee (PIC), Attorney-General of the Federation, etc.
“To the best of our knowledge, only Mr President has the power to lease or sale FGN properties. Unfortunately, the management could not provide a letter from former President Mohammed Buhari where he signed and gave the PIC under the Office of the SGF to sell Kadpoly institutional properties.
“It was a calculated attempt by both parties to defraud the institution from its asset. Both the Union and members of the residents took the matter to NASS for justice.
“Unfortunately, tension is mounting between some of our staff and outsiders in one hand, and also between those that were ejected in the quarters and denied from the buying and, also, management of the institution,” ASUP chairman stated.
Engr. Abdullahi continued that, “Historically, Sir, the institution was founded by the late Sardauna of Sokoto, Sir Ahmadu Bello. The institution was a Technical Institute that later changed to a Polytechnic and owned by the 19 Northern States.
“All properties purchased by the institution, including the C-of-O of the Landed properties are still reading Kaduna Polytechnic.
“There was a Presidential White Paper, dated 20 January, 2008, that gave clarification on the properties that were purchased and originally owned by an institution as institutional properties, and are exempted from Sales/Lease.
“Because of my stance on the matter, the management suspended Union activities under the disguise of a factional group, in May 2024; later suspended Union activities within the campus; later suspended me as a staff; later terminated my appointment illegally.
“But all this was addressed and resolved by the immediate past Minister of Education when the National Body of our Union wrote a petition against the management. My termination was withdrawn and was back since March, 2024.
“The Union will be glad, if you contact the man in-charge of Freedom Radio Station Kaduna. He will brief you on other things; and also Bereketee Family, Alhaji Ahamed Isah,” he explained.
Recalled that some aggrieved staffs petition the Poly management, and appealed to NASS to use their good offices to ensure that justice is done in this matter and putting a stop to this carve-out so they could have full access road to their properties.
They prayed that the Rector of Kaduna Polytechnic, Dr. Suleiman Umar, and 2 others: AbdulRahman Usman Tanko and Mr Abubakar Isa Jibrin should be suspended from office to pave way for a full-scale investigation, saying, they are presently destroying some records to hinder proper investigation on this matter.