There have reportedly been lots of issues since the position of the Rector Federal Polytechnic Offa, Kwara State, was declared vacant following the expiration of the two-term tenure of the former Rector, Dr. Muftau Olatinwo. When the job was advertised, about 32 applicants, including the Deputy Rector (Academics) Dr. Ayodele Olaosebikan, were said to have applied. But the selection procedure has been a subject of controversy.

A selection committee, which comprised of some management staff and representatives from the education ministry, had pruned down the number of applicants first to 13, then to eight and finally to three. Finally, two candidates - Dr. Lateef Olatunji and the acting rector were left in the race, a development that elicited protest from both staff and students. Later, the committee reviewed its decision and added one more candidate apparently to calm down the polytechnic community over the issue.

Members of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Polytechnics (SSANIP) Federal Polytechnic Offa branch were among the people who kicked against the decisions of the committee. It said the committee conducted lopsided screening of applicants for the post of rector of the institution which 32 people applied for. Sequel to the protect over the matter, the federal authorities shortlisted nine out of 32 persons and interviewed them in Abuja recently. Yet, the atmosphere in the two campuses of the institution was said to have remained tensed over alleged exclusion of some candidates. It was gathered that apart from SSANIP, the Non Academic Staff Union (NASU) was also against the screening of the candidates and both promised to go on strike if it was not corrected.

One student who pleaded for anonymity said the story making the rounds in the campuses was that while candidates who met the conditions contained in the advertisement were edged out by the three-man special committee saddled with the responsibility of shortlisting the number of candidates, those who did not meet the conditions were said to have been cleared and invited for the interview. He said the committee violated its guiding principle as advertised in the newspapers.

Both union were said to have raised eyebrows on why the acting Rector, Mrs. Olaosebikan, a candidate for the job, was not only made to function as a member of the screening committee but was also the chairman of the three-man committee that screened and cleared herself while disqualifying others. The committee was said to be made up of the representatives of the National Board for Technical Education, (NBTE), Federal Ministry of Education and the Polytechnic community. While the Ag. Rector served as the chairman, the Registrar, Mallam Abdulhammed Raji was the secretary.

Confirming the development to our correspondent in Offa, Chairman of SSANIP, Chief Ayo Bankole, said his union was unhappy with the unfair manner the committee went about its business, pointing out that the issue could precipitate deep crisis in the polytechnic. He said a section of the institution had petitioned the NBTE and the supervising ministry, particularly on why those who met the conditions were edged out by the committee. He added that the candidates belonged to various unions that would want to fight for them.

"Also, chairman of NASU, Mr. Adebayo Alli, said his union was interested in "peace, fairness and justice" but hoped that the right thing would have been done. Three disqualified candidates - Dr. Lateef Olatunji, Dr. M. Fowomola and Mr. A.T Otunola, had forwarded complaint letter to the ministry in Abuja over the matter but the name of one of them, Dr. Olatunji, later appeared on the list of those who took part in the interview.

The two unions had said in a media conference that there were attempts by the committee to give undue favor to the acting Rector. The chairmen of SSANIP, Chief Ayodeji Bankole and Mr. Emmanuel Alli of NASU, during an interview with journalists over the issue, said they were not against the acting Rector but wanted the committee to give a level playing ground to all the contenders. They explained that they were in total disagreement with the first phase of the screening because the exercise schemed out many qualified and interested persons and at the same time smuggled in some non-qualified persons.

The associations noted that the development was not only at variance with the requirements for the position as contained in the vacancy advertisement placed in newspapers but also alien to the polytechnic’s 24-year-old history. The two unions also argued that it was not only improper but unconstitutional for somebody who stands as a candidate and the person who signed the vacancy advertisement namely the acting Rector and the Registrar respectively, to also be a part of the committee.

They said the guidelines for applicants as advertised specifically asked for a chief lecturer and importantly a lecturer from a department which graduates students in the school which invariably and technically knocked out lecturers who are teaching a non-major course but the committee overlooked the clause.

However, the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) through its Offa branch chairman, Dr. Sola Ojeniyi had dissociated itself from the stand of the SSANIP and NASU on the matter. Ojeniyi said the position of the SSANIP chairman did not represent that of the generality of the staff, adding that those making noise about that are doing so because of their personal interest. He argued that the acting Rector who is one of his members was duly screened, fit and proper for the job.

"All the three candidates that are recommended for the position are our members and all of them are eminently qualified, and have all the requirements to occupy the position. SSANIP and NASU are not speaking for us but as we are waiting for the announcement of the new Rector by the federal government, we want to say that nobody should be appointed as our Rector outside of the three candidates we have confidence in. Whatever you might have heard or read about the issue is not true, it is a lie. There is peace in the school," Ojeniyi said.

Meanwhile, the public relations officer of the institution, Mr. Ladi Badmus, told our correspondent said the acting Rector is qualified in all respect for the post.

He said the issue of who becomes the next Rector has not caused any division in the polytechnic, saying academic activities are going on well in the school. Badmus also denied that the Acting Rector was in the committee that screened the applicants, saying the practice anywhere around the world is that a judge cannot sit on his own case.

"The allegation about the acting Rector is not only untrue but baseless; all stories peddled around were meant to cause chaos.

"The NBTE and federal ministry of education are the ones in charge of screening of the candidates and the management of the institution is waiting for the announcement of the new Rector of the school by the federal government," Badmus said.

The case is almost similar to the one at the Federal College of Education Zaria, where some candidates for the post of provost alleged foul play in the screening process. The government is yet to decide on both cases.