By JACOB ONJEWU DICKSON
Concerned members of Academic Staff Union of Polytechnic (ASUP) Kaduna Polytechnic chapter, have passed a vote of no confidence on their chairman, Engr. Abubakar Abdullahi.
The chairman of the concerned 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 funds by the chairman.
Audu alleged that Abdullahi in his wisdom alone, decided to file petition members of the union at the Federal High Court, Kaduna 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 its members, but the chairman decided to appoint a different law firm.
Audu said, “the concerned 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 Polytechnics.” 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.