Ekiti federal poly closed over students’ protest

The Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti was yesterday shut down
following protest by the students of the institution.
The students’ protest was sparked by a congress held by the
polytechnic’s chapter of Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics
(ASUP) on Monday in which the lecturers resolved to continue
with their strike.
The Rector, Dr. Taiwo Akande, ordered the closure of the
polytechnic as ASUP and other unions in the polytechnic, the
Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) and the Senior Staff Union
of Nigeria Polytechnics (SSANIP) had been on strike protesting
against the rector’s leadership style, which they said was
against their interest.
But the placard-carrying students, who commenced their
protest as early as 7a.m. yesterday called for an end to the
strike, saying it was affecting them adversely.
The protest was led by the National Association of Nigerian
Students (NANS) Southwest coordinator, Mr. Sunday Ashefon.
The students also claimed that their school fees were
outrageous and complained that the polytechnic lacked
facilities like electricity, water and that their hostels and
lecture rooms were in bad condition.
They alleged that the polytechnic authorities were owing the
Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) electricity bills
to the tune of N2.5 million which had thrown the hostels into
darkness.
Speaking with newsmen before the students were dispersed,
the Vice Chairman of the National Association of Nigerian
Students (NANS) in Ekiti State, Oluwapelumi Ogunmekun, said
strikes at the polytechnic had disrupted academic activities in
the last one year.
He accused the management and union of playing games with
the destiny of the students and expressed anger that lecturers
at their Monday meeting voted in favour of continuation of
their strike.
Ogunmekun further alleged that the Student Union Government
(SUG) of the polytechnic had been compromised by the
management hence, the invitation to NANS to “fight on behalf
of the students.”
But the polytechnic SUG president, Oladapo Ajibola, denied
being compromised by the management saying he was also
part of the protest to ensure the resolution of industrial action
embarked upon by the unions.
He explained that the students had been on the campus since
January 4 without any academic activity going on, saying the
student union would have had another meeting with the
management to find a way out of the crisis.
The Deputy Rector (Academics), Afolabi Bamidele, explained
that the management was working hard to resolve the crisis
rocking the polytechnic and a headway would soon be
achieved.