VOTE OF CONFIDENCE/ REFUTAL

During our Executive Council meeting held on Sunday 20th February 2022, Executive members of the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Polytechnic (SSANIP) on behalf of its members passed a vote of confidence on the 3rd Governing Council ably led by Otunba A. Adebayo and the management team led by Mrs. Ibifiri B. Pollyn, this became necessary after critically analysing their performances in less than a year of the formation of the Governing Council and management team respectively.

Consequently, we are constrained to respond to the claims of Prof. Tamunoimim Michael Abbey in a viral post claiming that the Union’s Chairman Comrade Soipiriala Hector Pepple and immediate past Secretary Comrade Tamunotonye Martyns-Yellow David and other members had visited the Otunba A. Adebayo led Governing Council to lay false allegations on the suspended Rector, which led to his suspension. We are therefore stating the following:

1. That the union leadership had never at any point in time held any form of meeting with either the Governing Council, Management or Presidential visitation panel at any hidden place. Rather, during the visit of the Presidential Visitation Panel, the union leadership sent in a position paper, highlighting issues bothering on staff welfare and working environment, which was as a result of neglect by the Professor Tamunoimi Michael Abbey led management team.

• The union leadership approached the Otunba A. Adebayo led Governing Council with issues of concerns neglected by the 2nd Governing Council and Management of Prof. Tamunoimi Michael Abbey, which bothers on improper placement, confirmation, payment of allowances and placement arrears, others include promotion of members that
• had stayed for seven years, training and retraining of members etc.

• We made it known that several meetings and resolutions with the management had been neglected, our complains led to the Governing Council, initiating a meeting of Management and the leadership of the Union, meeting with them, to proffer solutions to the problems created by neglect of Prof. Tamunoimi M. Abbey led management team, the meeting produced a memorandum of understanding between the Governing Council Management and the union, properly signed by the three parties, shortly after the M.O.U. was signed the Governing Council graciously approved and directed Management to release our first promotion and payment of promotional arrears was effected for the first time in the history of the Polytechnic. We are also aware that our second promotional letters would soon be released to us and those with issues of improper placements would be addressed accordingly when the Governing Council meets to consider the recommendations of NBTE team that carried out Staff Audit recently, which was part of the agreement in the M.O.U mentioned above.

We are grateful to the President, Federal Republic of Nigeria, The Honorable Minister of Education, for giving us such a team of considerate members of Governing Council and Management team, we appeal that the on-going investigation of the suspended Rector, should not be altered in any way, as the outcome would aid the Governing Council on the best decision to take, which we are sure would help the Polytechnic’s advancement and motivate staffers.

Attached, for your perusal and necessary action, are photocopies of several correspondences to Management neglected and letters to the Presidential Visitation Panel and Governing Council respectively with resolution reached between the presidential visitation panel, management and the union leadership.

Thank you.

Comrade Soipiriala Hector Pepple AMNIM (Chairman)

Comrade Sidney I. Pepple (Secretary)

Copy:

1. Secretary to The Government of the Federation,

2. Honorable Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning,

3. Head of Service of the Federation,

4. The Executive Secretary, National Board for Technical Education (NBTE),

5. Accountant General of the Federation,

6. Tertiary Education Trust fund (TETFUND),

7. Governor of Central Bank,

8. The Chairman, Economics and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)

9. The Chairman, Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC)

10. Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance,

11. Permanent Secretary, Minister of Education,

12. The Chairman, 3rd Governing Council, Federal Polytechnic of Oil & Gas, Bonny.

13. The National President, Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Polytechnics (SSANIP)