http://www.newsportng.com.ng Concerned members of Academic Staff Union of Polytechnic, (ASUP) Kaduna Polytechnic chapter, have passed a vote of no confidence on its chairman, Engr. Abubakar Abdullahi.
The Chairman of the concern group, Dr. Shedrach Audu alongside other members, during a press conference, in Kaduna on Monday, said the decision followed the unilateral use of power and misappropriation of fund by the chairman.
Audu alledged that Abdullahi in his wisdom alone, decided to file petition against its members at the Federal High Court, Kuduna and also violated the Regular Congress Resolution held last year November, where the meeting resolved that Ahmed Ahmed & Co be appointed as the Solicitor of the Chapter to handle a court case instituted against her members but the chairman decided to appoint a different Law firm..
Audu said, “the concern members of ASUP KPT wish to state that, based on the constitutional infractions committed and the brazen disregard for the rule of law, financial misappropriation of funds and his unilateral use of Executive Powers without recourse to congressmen and women, we wish to state that a vote of no confidence has been passed on the Chairman of ASUP KPT Chapter, today the 3rd day of April, 2023.
“Engr. Abubakar J. Abdullah clearly violated the Regular Congress Resolution of 21St November, 2022. At this meeting, it was resolved and approved by the congress that Ahmed Ahmed & Co be appointed as the solicitor of the Chapter as provided for by Article 13 of Union Constitution (Appendix 1, Resolution 10)
“The chapter chairman in a unilateral decision without any further mandate from congress decided to appoint a different solicitor to handle a court case agergst instituted against some bonafide and financial members of the union.
“That Engr. Abubakar J. Abdullahi equally violated the Emergency Congress Resolution of the 6th December 2022. At this meeting, a resolution rejecting the sale of Kaduna Polytechnic Government Quarters was held.
“However, the resolution did not request the Union Executive to file a court case in any law court against its members but the union chapter chairman in his wisdom decided to file a case against its members at the Federal High Court, Kaduna with respect to the sale of the said quarters.
“Engr. Abubakar J. Abdullahi lied under Oath with respect to the Case Filed and Titled “The Registered Trustees of Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, Federal Polytechnic, Kaduna Chapter
“There is no such registered trustee of Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics much less Federal Polytechnic, Kaduna Chapter. When the case was mentioned in the court, the KPT Union Chairman identify himself as ASUP KPT Chapter Chairman to represent the said Trustee of Academic Staff Union of Polytechnic.” He said.
The concerned group also alleged that the chairman refused to comply with the directives from ASUP national body to withdraw the case instituted against its members at the Federal High Court, Kaduna, which has imposed on them heavy sanction from the mother body.
“As a result of his non-compliance with the directive from the National body to immediately withdraw such case from the court, this chapter is facing a risk of heavy sanctions from the National body which would not be too palatable for this local chapter and we would want to avoid it.
“It is in view of the above mentioned violations by the chairman that the Congress met and passed a vote of no confidence on him.
“This is also expedient in order to forestall the breakdown of peace and industrial harmony enjoyed presently by the Institution and Kaduna state at large, because there is a burning tension and bubble which could burst at any time from now.” He added.
Meanwhile in a swift reaction, the ASUP Chairman said the group is entitled to their constitutional rights to aggregate their common interests, but going extra mile of passing a verdict on the union’s leadership is not within their powers.
Abdullahi, said “the leadership of the Union acknowledges the rights of members to aggregate their common interests, especially in the expression of dissent. So, there is nothing unusual with a group of our membership calling a Press Conference on any matter.
“It is within their democratic and constitutional rights to do so. It is however uncharitable to go the extra mile of passing a verdict on the leadership of the union, as it is not within their domain of authority to do so.
“I am constrained to comment on this matter, as it will be prejudicial to do so while it is pending before the court. It is however important to clarify the identity of the persons who have gathered today and their pecuniary interests.
“They have not spoken for our union, city as we cannot deny their membership. They have spoken for their vested interests as occupiers of the staff quarters that our Congress passed a resolution not to be sold. The same resolution has since been validated by our supervising Ministry.
“So, as a Chairman, I should be surprised that, those who have glaringly violated the Constitution of the union, specifically Article 25, are the ones passing a verdict on its leadership. There are processes required by our laws to get to the point of such verdict.
“They are clear and categorical under our codes of Conduct, specifically, item “C” and “D” where it is clear about what constitutes a meeting of Congress members from which a resolution is recognized or binding and by which we, as other law abiding members of the union may now classify the actions of these persons as clearly undermining the union as an Institution including a deliberate weakening of our collective bargaining principles.
“Above everything else, their insistence on proceeding to buy public assets of the Institution against all known inhibitions including the ruling of the courts cannot qualify for anything else than impunity.” He said.
