Analysis: Despite accusing Bindow’s administration of political interference in ADSU, Fintiri’s panel want him to destabilise the polytechnic by appointing sole administrator.
Gov. Fintiri of Adamawa state has received reports from various visitation panel setup by his administration. It is on record the that the Governor has on several fora condemned in strong terms what he called undue interference by the Bindow led administration in ADSU Mubi. We are leaving witness to how Professor Joshua Shall was handpicked by the then Governor of Adamawa state, Barr. Bala Ngillari.
Despite the encomiums poured on the process that brought up Prof. Shall as the Vice Chancellor of the institution, some of us that are privy to inside story, are in the know how the process was skewed in favour of Shall as the favourite candidate of the then Governor and the Council Chairman, Gen. Hananiya. It is no longer news that, Shall was kicked out of the University due to the infighting between himself and then Bursar, Kumthy Ezra Anjili in supremacy battle for a year and of course, kleptomania which both men tried to outwit each other in.
The infighting between the duo of Shall and Kumthy, became prominent as the two not only divided the University community, but also wrote several petitions on each other to the EFCC/ICPC, accusing each other of corruption, why the battle raged on. The then Governor Senator Jibrilla Bindow setup a visitation panel, which the panel suggested to Prof. Shall to apologise for his behaviour and reverse some of the decisions he took which tore the university apart, Prof. Shall bluntly refused and 30 days afterwards was served with a letter spelling out the directive. Shall thinking that he had the ace, remained adamant until EFCC intervened by bursting the bubbles on the corruption allegations through information and deductions from their own petitions, as Shall and Kumthy levelled against each other.
Why Shall was showed the way out the University for severally misusing the school funds, Kumthy was suspended and later reinstated by same Bindow led administration. Shortly after Shall was removed as Vice Chancellor, Dr. Moses Zaruwa the Deputy Vice Chancellor of the University was appointed to act as the VC pending the appointment of a substantive Vice Chancellor of the University, a position that was later confirmed by the same Governor.
Trouble started again between Zaruwa and the Bursar Kumthy Ezra Anjili, when Zaruwa was called to EFCC office to be questioned as to why counter cheques was used to make withdrawals from the University’s account domiciled with Zenith Bank, a claim which was immediately punctured by Zaruwa, that on no occasion did he authorised that counter cheques be used by the Bursar. After EFCC investigations Messrs Shall and Kumthy were charged to court by EFCC to Federal high court, Yola, why Kumthy was charged for severally forging the signature of Dr. Zaruwa. Shall was slammed with conniving with Kumthy to commit felony by converting money meant for the University to their personal.
The tenure of Zaruwa was not without hitches as the anti-corruption fighter swung into action to recover all the looted funds from the University coffers. It is said that, when one fights corruption, corruption will fight back. The turbulent winds continue to blow on Zaruwa’s might to fight corruption to a standstill and to make sure all the looted funds was returned to the University coffer by the looters’.
The fight between Zaruwa and the looters became messier as the looters connived with the unions to destabilised the tenure of Vice Chancellor, Dr. Zaruwa. While the Unionists claimed that due process was not followed to appoint Zaruwa as VC, there was nothing in the University laws that suggested that an advert should be placed within weeks in the media. I belt to be corrected, if anyone is in doubt should please check the laws setting up ADSU, according to University commission, the minimum requirement to become a VC is a Ph.D holder and a Senior Lecturer.
The corrupt unionist were no longer comfortable with Zaruwa as VC, hence they plotted his removal from office by using strikes to lock down the university, because the continued stay of Zaruwa became a threat to those that looted the University. And of Shall and Kumthy now allies in crime as alleged in EFCC charge sheet, made very good use of their supporters to fight Zaruwa, who then revealed the massive corruption that was hindering the university’s growth. While the Bindow administration was quoted severally for exonerating Zaruwa for any wrong doing, it is on record that Zaruwa was sacrificed for the so called peace to reign, as most of the unionists who have skeletons in their cupboard were not comfortable with the continued stay of Zaruwa as Vice Chancellor.
The Bindow led government gave Zaruwa a commendation letter for job well done, before he was eventually relieved of his appointment due to the connivance of the unionists and some members of the visitation panel setup by the Bindow led administration. Prof. Kaleptapwa was supported by the Unionists due to their belief that she will understand with them on some of the issues that Zaruwa failed to reach compromise with them i.e. the case of John Itodo who was sacked for examination malpractice and signature forgery was one that shook the unionists to their bone marrow, as they felt that, if Itodo can be sacked from the university, then they are not safe under Zaruwa as VC.
It is fool hardy that Gov. Fintiri wants to tow the same path by removing Prof. Ibrahim Gombi who has not been indicted by the current visitation panel report. One will think that, Fintiri who was so passionate about education, will not use the political solution, he once accused the Bindow led administration of doing to remove a man who has done nothing wrong. It beats my imagination that, a panel will recommend a Sole Administrator in this modern democracy. Prof. Babanshago has just made mockery of his professorial degrees by suggesting to Fintiri, that a sole administrator should be appointed to replace the Rector. If Ibrahim is removed from office today, it means he was removed for not paying the company allegedly linked to the governor, and not for any wrong doing.
This is a shame.
Wriiten by Sam Lukas
Can be reach on samluk@gmail.com