The serenity on campus at the Federal Polytechnic of Oil and Gas, Bonny (FPOG) was palpable this morning as staff and students uncomfortably await the arrival of the Rector of the institution, Professor Tamunoimim Abbey or his non-arrival.

Situation report by Kristina Reports’ team that visited the institution at about 9am on Monday, November 21, 2022 indicate that staff and students were seen in clusters at different areas of the campus discussing in hushed tones and watching out for any new developments.

A team of heavily armed police operatives were also seen both at the entrance of the polytechnic and inside the campus to ensure there was no breakdown of law and order on the campus.

Also, some supporters of Prof. Abbey were seen mounting huge billboards announcing the arrival of the estranged Rector. They were initially prevented by the Police from mounting it at the entrance but were later allowed to mount it away from the gate.

Earlier on, Kristina Reports was able to confirm that Prof. Abbey did not board the Confidence 1, the Nigeria LNG ferry service where his name was reportedly on the passenger manifest for the 0700Hrs sail for Monday, November 21, 2022.

A reliable source hinted Kristina Reports that he was sighted in Abuja as at evening of Sunday, November 20, 2022 and may use the afternoon flight to Port Harcourt enroute Bonny later in the day to attend a grand reception organized for him by some of his friends at the Polytechnic campus today.  

Prof. Abbey had told Kristina Reports at the weekend that he was resuming duty today in obedience to a directive by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education via a letter signed by the Director, Legal Services, Grace Ekanem, consequent upon the judgment of the National Industrial Court sitting in Port Harcourt.

However, the counsel to the institution’s Governing Council, Joseph Fombo had taken exception to the said letter, warning the Permanent Secretary via a letter dated Friday, November 11, 2022 he personally signed as sighted by Kristina Reports to incite crisis in Bonny Island by going ahead to enforce the court’s decision, pointing out that the authority to enforce a court judgment resides exclusively with the court.

He further disclosed in the said letter that the said judgment has been appealed against in Suit No. CA/PH/489/2022 (Federal Polytechnic of Oil and Gas Vs. Prof. T. M. Abbey) and a Motion for Stay of Execution filed and fixed for Thursday, January 19, 2023.   

Reacting to the development, Prof Abbey dismissed Fombo’s claims, stating that no order of stay of execution has been given by any court, adding that he was also not aware of any appeal against the said judgment, stressing that the lawyer should do his due diligence on the current practice direction in Nigerian jurisprudence before making hackneyed pronouncements.

Meanwhile, the security agencies were already taking proactive steps to avert any breakdown of law and order in and around the Polytechnic on account of the current issues.  

A top security source hinted Kristina Reports that the various security agencies were already talking with the parties involved on how to manage the situation and avoid any unnecessary crisis in the area.