Federal Poly Offa boils again as ASUP, school management clash

Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, ASUP, Federal Polytechnic, Offa chapter, has cried out over alleged victimization of Exco members of the union.

Chairman of the union, Dr Idowu Atilola, in a statement on Monday, complained that six months after a disagreement between the union and management of the institution, members of the union including six union executives have been invited to appear before the Senior Staff Investigation and Disciplinary Committee on allegations of union activities.

Part of the statement read; “On Friday, 17th of October 2025, the Union was shocked to have been informed of multiple invitations of members, six of whom are exco members, to Senior Staff Investigation and Disciplinary Committee, SSIDC, on allegation of Union activities almost six months ago.

“Let it be recalled that in May 2025, the Union directed that examinations could not commence based on embarrassing conducts of the management, part of which was the Diversion of 2017/2018 promotion arrears that was paid to Micro-Finance banks.

“This unethical conduct by the management was what led to the disruption of the examination schedule and as a result of collective bargaining between the Deans and Directors, management, Governing Council Chairman and the Union, it was agreed that the management would retrace their steps and pay the beneficiaries of the promotion arrears their entitlement and a proviso of a non-victimization or reprisal clause was also called into action, (copy attached) .

“As can be obviously inferred, the matter being raised again after this MOU is a clear indicator that the management has not tolled the part of honor and integrity which further buttresses the reason why the institution is full of agitations.

“As a Union, it is expected that we must always rise up against injustice, prejudice and vindictiveness and we will have to rise up to the occasion.

“Consequently, as contained in the Union’s letter to the Governing Council Chairman, the Union is demanding for a withdrawal of all invitations to ASUP members on anything regarding Union activities of May 12, 2025 within 24 hours, otherwise, a more firm posture will be adopted,” the union warned.

The statement hoped that the management will endeavor to preserve the peace on the campus.

The Management, in a reaction through the spokesman of the institution, Iroye Yinka, in a statement on Tuesday, explained the sequence of events leading to the said invitations of the union members.

In a background to the Issue, the management said on Monday, 12th May 2025, the conduct of the 1st Semester Examinations for the 2024/2025 Academic Session was disrupted following a directive by the ASUP Chapter to its members to withdraw from examination-related duties.

The action according to the management, “was premised on a communiqué issued by ASUP on 5th May 2025, listing several demands which included, full payment of departmental consumables; payment of outstanding ₦5,000 balance to academic staff who participated in the summer programme; payment of arrears of the local component of CONTISS 15; and payment of 2017/2018 promotion arrears.”

The statement explained that upon receipt of the ASUP communiqué, Management promptly engaged the union in a series of meetings on 9th and 11th May, 2025, where it addressed each of the issues raised including payment of N5,000 outstanding summer programme allowance to all concerned academic staff.

The statement further noted that management began settlement of CONTISS 15 on 9th May 2025 and staff with Commercial Bank accounts received credit alerts immediately, while those with Microfinance bank accounts were to receive theirs by 12th May, 2025.

On 2017/2018 promotion arrears, “the management reaffirmed its commitment to pay within two weeks, noting that the arrears dated back to 2013–2014, amounting to ₦141,232,029.66. Of this, ₦17,654,009.71 (12.5%) had been paid by the previous administration, while the present administration has successfully offset ₦123,578,025.95 (87.5%).”

Despite these commitments and payments, ASUP insisted that no examinations would commence until the 2017/2018 arrears were fully cleared, the statement added.

On the disrupted semester examinations on 12th May, 2025, the management said “examinations commenced at 10:00 a.m on both the Mini and Main Campuses. However, evidence from security reports and eyewitness accounts revealed that certain ASUP executives disrupted the process.

“On the Mini Campus, the ASUP Assistant General Secretary, accompanied by another person, entered Olatinwo/Olawoyin Hall, disrupted the ongoing examination, and tore students’ answer scripts already submitted.

“At the main campus earlier that morning, the Deputy Dean (Exams) was prevented from accessing examination halls by ASUP executives; ASUP Vice Chairman, General Secretary and PRO while question papers were forcibly seized and destroyed by the identified union leaders.

“These acts constituted a breach of examination integrity, vandalization of government property, and gross misconduct contrary to public service regulations,” according to the management.

While explaining reasons for the current Investigation, the management said in the aftermath of the May 2025 incident, a petition from concerned students was submitted to the Honourable Minister of Education, Governing Council Chairman, National President of ASUP, NANS, and NAPS, describing the events as a “brazen act of sabotage, academic terrorism, and destruction of public property.”

Consequently, the Governing Council, after reviewing management and security reports, directed that the matter be referred to the Senior Staff Investigation and Disciplinary Committee (SSIDC) to ascertain among others the extent of damages to government property answer scripts, and question papers, etc.

The committee was also tasked to determine the level of individual involvement in the disruption and the veracity of allegations made against identified ASUP members.

It must be emphasized that the SSIDC’s invitation is not an act of victimization but a due administrative process in line with public service regulations and the Council’s directive.

The management refered to the NBTE’S position during the NBTE Engagement Committee meeting with Management and Staff Unions held on 10th July 2025 at the NBTE Liaison Office, Abuja, where the committee condemned ASUP’s actions, describing the disruptions and destruction of examination materials as indefensible.

The management of The Federal Polytechnic Offa, said it remains committed to transparency, staff welfare, and industrial harmony,as a public institution, but cannot overlook acts of indiscipline, destruction of public property, or conduct detrimental to the image and smooth operation of the institution.

It described the invitation of the union members as a routine administrative step in compliance with the Governing Council directive, a fact-finding process, and not a punitive measure.

Federal Poly Offa boils again as ASUP, school management clash