ASUP THREATENS PROTEST OVER BAYELSA POLY RECTOR’S REAPPOINTMENT
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By:Tajudeen Aminat
The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, Bayelsa State Polytechnic, Aleibiri chapter, has threatened to mobilise members across the South-South and South-East zones for a peaceful protest in Yenagoa if the reappointment of Dr Wisdom Sori as Rector is not reversed.
The union also accused the institution’s Governing Council of violating the Bayelsa State Polytechnic Establishment Law 2014 in the process that led to Sori’s reappointment.
The development follows ASUP’s indefinite withdrawal of services, which began on August 10, 2026, after the expiration of a 14-day ultimatum issued to the authorities to reverse the appointment.
Speaking with journalists in Yenagoa on Tuesday, ASUP Zonal Coordinator for South-South and South-East, Dr Richard Illoma, said the union had presented evidence of alleged procedural violations to the state Commissioners for Education, Labour and Information.
Sori, a former Rector of the institution, reportedly retired at the age of 68 in February 2024, while his first tenure as Rector ended on June 19, 2026.
The union faulted the council’s decision to reappoint him, alleging that the process failed to comply with the procedures stipulated by the Polytechnic Establishment Law.
According to ASUP, the council did not advertise the vacant position, constitute the required Search Team or establish the Joint Council and Academic Board Selection Board before recommending a candidate to the Visitor.
The union also alleged that the law requires the selection process to produce three candidates for consideration by the Visitor.
ASUP maintained that its objection was not based on Sori’s performance but on the legality of the appointment.
It further questioned the alleged backdating of Sori’s reappointment letter to June 21, 2026, claiming that the move was intended to “erase the academic profile” of the Acting Rector.
The union warned that the continued appointment of a retired Rector could attract sanctions from regulatory and intervention agencies, including the National Board for Technical Education, TETFund and the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board.
ASUP said efforts to resolve the dispute through discussions with the Governing Council and government officials had ended without agreement.
It therefore threatened to escalate the matter beyond Bayelsa State if the appointment was not reversed.
“The National Body of the Union will be constrained to use normative instruments at our disposal to swiftly mobilise our members from all the chapters in the zone, consisting of all polytechnics, monotechnics and colleges of technology in South-South and South-East Nigeria, for picketing and a peaceful protest in Yenagoa, if this appointment is not reversed,” the union said.
ASUP added that it could approach relevant regulatory and intervention agencies over the matter, warning that the dispute could affect programme accreditation and access to intervention funds.
“For now, the strike subsists while further engagements with government continue,” the union said.
The union expressed optimism that Governor Douye Diri would intervene after receiving a report of its engagement with the relevant commissioners.
When contacted, the council’s representative, DIG Mike Zuokumor, declined to comment immediately, asking the correspondent to contact him again in four days.
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