The Governing Council of Federal Polytechnic, Offa, Kwara State, has approved the appointment of Mr. Eghe Igbinehi as the second Acting Rector of the institution.

A statement signed by the Director, Information, Public Relations & Protocols of the institution, Olayinka Iroye, made available to The PUNCH correspondent on Sunday said that the appointment of Ighinehi takes effect from Monday, 16th January 2023, pending the appointment of a Substantive Rector.

The statement read, “Igbinehi is to take over from Dr. Olarongbe Afolabi whose tenure as Acting Rector will expire on 16th January 2023.

Igbinehi is the second Acting Rector to be appointed for the Polytechnic since the tenure of the 4th Substantive Rector, Dr Lateef Olatunji, expired on January 12, 2022.

Our correspondent gathered that though the Governing Council of the institution conducted interviews for about 28 candidates who applied for the position of the rector in February 2022 and forwarded the names of 3 candidates to the Ministry of Education to pick one of them as the Rector, the power struggle in the Presidency had stalled the effort.

Igbinehi, a Senior Chief lecturer was the longest-serving academic staff in the institution.

Born in Oredo Local Government Area of Edo State, Igbonehi bagged a B. Ed in Mathematics at the University of Benin in 1985 and an M.Sc. in Mathematics in 1989 from the University of Lagos.

He joined the service of the Polytechnic in October 1992 and rose through the ranks to become a Chief Lecturer in the Department of Mathematics on 1st July 2002.

Igbinehi, who is the most senior Chief Lecturer has served the Polytechnic in different capacities. He was twice HOD Department of Mathematics & Statistics, Director School of Applied Sciences and Technology in 2006. He served for two tenures as Deputy Rector (Academics) from 2009 to 2011 and 2011 to 2013 and was at two different times Director of Academic Planning. He was also the pioneer Chairman of ASUP, The Federal Polytechnic Offa Chapter.