Unions in the Federal Polytechnic, Ado Ekiti, on Monday shut the institution, demanding the sacking of the Rector, Dr. Theresa Akande, for an alleged financial fraud.
But the rector has accused the workers of nursing a hidden agenda, asking them to wait for the report of an independent panel set up to investigate the allegation.
The unions, comprising members the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Polytechnic and Non-Academic Staff Union, on Monday blocked the main entrance of the institution to disrupt academic activities.
They accused the rector of not remitting about N350m cooperatives funds as well as engaging in illegal pension deductions from contract staff.
The unions led by their chairmen, Tunji Owoye, Dr. Oluwole Ayeni and Prince Adekunle Adeniyi for ASUP, SSANIP and NASU in that order, also accused the rector of favouritism and nepotism in staff promotions.
Owoeye called on the Minister of Education, Alhaji Ibrahim Shekarau, to direct Akande to step aside, pending the completion of investigations by anti-graft agencies.
Adeniyi accused the rector of placing workers of the same cadre on different grade levels based on their relationship with her.
But the rector, who dismissed the allegation through the Deputy Registrar, Information and Protocol, Mr. Adeyemi Adejolu, accused the workers of having a hidden agenda.
According to her, the workers would have waited for the outcome of the probe they jointly called for before resorting to protest.
Akande said, “Why can’t they wait for the outcome of Federal Government’s intervention in this matter? They had petitioned the EFCC and ICPC and the anti-graft bodies are intervening. I expect that they await the outcome if they are not pursuing selfish agenda.”
The rector, who said her administration had been transparent in all its financial dealings, accused the workers of not following due process before embarking on the protest.
She urged them to embrace dialogue rather than confrontation that could affect the peace and co-existence in the institution.
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