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Olabode Adaramola
The Rector, Federal Polytechnic. Bida, Dr. Abubakar Abdul Dxukogi, has made a passionate appeal to all the three staff unions in the institution which include ASUP-Bida branch and it’s counterparts NASU and SSNIP, which he described as major stakeholders , to join hands with him in order to ensure an enduring peace on the campus, with a view to moving the Polytechnic, forward.
He made the appeal on recently on the campus of the institution in Bida, during a peaceful rally and solidarity visit to his office by some 500 employees of the Institution recruited by his administration in 2019, at the newly constructed two storeys ultramodern administrative block estimated at about N187 millions on it’s completion recently, through TeTFund 2016/ 2017 interventions.
He noted that the Federal Polytechnic, Bida, was the only one among about 25 Federal Polytechnics in Nigeria that was always causing trouble with incessant crises on the campus , describing the ugly situation as a disservice to the institution and capable of de-marketing the Polytechnic.
“There are 25 Federal Polytechnics in the country but we are the only one causing problems in the whole country in the last five years, it is bringing shame to us and it is demarcation and it is reducing the number of candidates applying to come to this institution.
” By so doing, we are doing a great disservice to this institution. But I will need the cooperation of the three staff unions to work in the Polytechnic, because I don’t begrudge anyone, the three unions should also not see my administration as if it is their enemy.
“No, we have to move this Polytechnic forward for the good of all of us. So, the idea of trying to bring anybody down, please let us allow it to be a thing of the past, everybody should be on board”, he said
Dr. Dzukogi explained that his appeal to them was what he had been preaching all along, adding that his doors were always opened 24 hours, stressing that,, “once you have ideas that will move this Polytechnic forward for the good of all of us, please come and let us discuss issues.
He however pleaded that no one should hide under any guise to cause trouble in the institution, saying, “no, we don’t need it and don’t consider yourself as being an opposition.”
He reiterated the fact that he was the Father of everyone in the Institution, pointing out that what he needed in the Polytechnic was peace,stressing that he had been talking to all the critical stakeholders, to see the institution as belonging to all of them and on the need to embrace peace in the overall interests of all of everyone concerned.
Meanwhile, the Rector, who disclosed that the Federal Government had recently approved that his second term tenure of additional four years would be completed by May, 29, 2023, against the earlier decision of government to have pegged it to February next year
He thereby urged the visiting new recruited staff of the Polytechnic in 2019, not to erroneously believe that he was the one who brought them to the institutions, but God who had made it possible among several numbers of candidates that applied for jobs in the Polytechnic.
He charged them to be more committed, honest and dedicated in their respective positions in the institution.
Speaking further on the approval of his additional two years stewardship in the Polytechnic, he said, “we don’t normally say that government made mistake, government had good intentions.
“When my re- appointment letter came, the Federal Ministry of Education said I should go on this particular date . But later on , there was a serious argument , within the Law and relevant circulars ,it was proved that if you are given a tenure appointment, you can still complete your tenure . So, when I was preparing to pack my things by February next year, then the good news came”, he remarks .
Dr. Dzukogi , said, “I see this as an opportunity given to me by Almighty Allah, to continue the good works we have been doing and I assure you, the Management, staff and students of the Polytechnic, I will not let you down. I will not let the federal government down, i will not let the ministry down.”
“Whatever the Rector must have done in the past, please have it somewhere in your mind, to forgive him and those of you who have offended me, one way or the other, I have also forgiven you.
“President Muhammadu Buhari has been doing his very best , he approved four years and by the grace of God, we are going to spend the remaining three years together in this institution. And it’s not about how long you stayed, but from what we have done for the past five years ,even biased people will tell you the Rector has done well, but the problem with some of us is that we know he is doing well, but we don’t like him”, he concluded .
