Substantive Rector For Fed.Poly,Ekeowe: Ijaw Youths to Buhari “Your minister is stoking crisis “

Ijaw Youths from the Nine States of the Niger Delta region have urged President Muhammadu Buhari to caution the Minister of State for Education, Hon. Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba over his allege meddlesome posture over the emergence of Dr. Iwekumo Wanton as the Rector of the Federal Polytechnic(Oil and Gas),Ekeowe in Southern Ijaw Local Government area of the Bayelsa State.

According to the Ijaw Youths under the aegis of the Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) worldwide, despite the emergence of Dr. Iwekumo Wanton under a selection process that was certified free, fair and transparent including the IYC that monitored the processes, the decision by the Minister of State for Education, Hon. Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba to overrule the efforts and refused to certify the substantive status of Dr. Iwekumo Wanton as Rector four months after the selection process is provocative and acts capable of distrusting the President Buhari administration achievements in the institution.

The Ijaw Youths Council, worldwide in a statement issued at the weekend in Yenagoa through its National Spokesman, Comrade Ebilade Ekerefe, argued that though the ijaw youths are disturbed, saddened and angry at the mysterious delay in the appointment of a substantive Rector for the institution despite the authentication of the selection process by the Federal Character Commission and the Minster of Education, Adamu Adamu, the actions of the Junior Minister, Hon. Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba is being perceived as political, sectional and targeted at the indigenes of the region.

According to Ekerefe, despite the many unresolved issues between the President Buhari administration and the Ijaw nation, the inclusion of the Dr. Iwekumo Wanton and Federal Polytechnic, Ekeowe on the plate is capable of heating up the region and disrupt the existing peace, ”the IYC frown at the sudden interruption in the process as a deliberate attempt by adversaries of the ijaw people to further deprive the ijaw nation of the service of one of its first breed who is committed in moving the institution forward and competing actively in the academic space.”

“We want to call on President Muhammadu Buhari to call the Minister of State for Education to order and should immediately direct the confirmation of Dr. Iwekumo Wanton as the substantive Rector of the Institution. We warn that any plan to experiment with the destiny of the ijaw people is a joke taken too far, and will be fully resisted with the might of the spirit of Adaka.”

Ebilade pointed out that the Ijaw Youths strong position over the emergence of Dr. Iwekumo Wanton is based on his performance in the last three months as the Acting Rector of the Institution which has given stakeholders the hope of a new dawn in the institution, “He is a young and brilliant administrator that understands the geographical terrain, culture, tradition as well as the struggle and aspiration of the ijaw people.”

“It is our conviction that the President fully appreciates the unique peculiarities of the area, and that the location of the institution in a rural, coastal community of Ekeowe requires that any individual appointed to oversee the affairs of the Polytechnic must be thoroughly conversant with the terrain and environment challenges. On of the reasons in advancing our support for his appointment as substantive Rector is the fact that he is the very list of institution to reside fully in the polytechnic campus.”

“By this, he has effectively mobilized his management team and all members of staff to fully operate on the campus. This is against the practice of overseeing the affairs of the Institution from Yenagoa as it was in the past.”

About Author

admin

See author's posts