Kaduna Polytechnic sacks ASUP chairman over staff quarters dispute

The management of Kaduna Polytechnic has sacked the institution’s Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) chairman, Abubakar Jibrin Abdullahi.

Though the sack letter dated October 5 did not give reasons for the termination of Abdullahi’s appointment, sources say it may not be unconnected with his role in alleged illegal sales of staff housing units and the surrounding parcels of land by the school authority.

The ASUP chairman, who is of the department of Mechanical Engineering, was employed by the school in 1995.

The termination of appointment letter issued by the management, with reference number; ‘KPT CA/S PER 10049 VoL 1/185’ and dated 5th October, 2023, was addressed to Engr. Abubakar Jibrin Abdullahi through the Head of Mechanical Engineering Department.

According to the letter signed by the Polytechnic Registrar, Dr. Muhammed Tanimu, “By virtue of paragraph ‘a’ of your appointment letter dated the 24th February, 1995, the Polytechnic no longer require your service as its staff.

“Accordingly, your appointment is hereby terminated effective from the 5th day of October, 2023.”

In his reaction, Abdullahi said, “I have been confirmed after many years, promoted after many years, that clause is invalid for now”.

However, in a recent press statement, the embattled ASUP leader alleged that the school management had threatened to sack him and also disband the Union over his role in the alleged illegal sales of staff quarters and lands.

“Against all known traditions; the resort to scapegoating me for actions taken in my capacity as Chapter Chairman only shows clearly that the mission is to finally issue me a sack letter, having isolated and singled me out of a cause vigorously and overwhelmingly pursued by my members in their majority,” Abdullahi had said.

Earlier this year, reports say ASUP had engaged the school management that the sale of staff quarters was a clear breach of government’s directive, since the Ministry of Education had directed the stoppage, which was jettisoned by the management.

ASUP, in the statement, regretted that the school management succeeded in creating a factional group in the Union, even going ahead to suspend activities of the original Union within the Campus, despite several disclaimers on the factional group by the national body of ASUP.

The ASUP chairman further alleged that the main motive of the management is to strangulate the union’s leadership and break the ranks of its members and physical attack on him.

ALSO READ: NSUK Announces Resumption Date For Faculties of Engineering & Health Sciences