ASUP faults Bayelsa Poly Management, Threatens Fresh Strike
A dispute has broken out between the management of Bayelsa State Polytechnic and the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics over the absence of some academic officials from an Academic Board meeting.
The management had queried some Heads of Department, Directors and Deans for allegedly failing to attend an Academic Board meeting held on Wednesday, September 2, 2026.
The queries, dated September 3, accused the affected officials of being absent from the meeting without prior notice or explanation and described their conduct as an “act of sabotage” against the academic progress of the institution.
However, the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, Bayelsa State Polytechnic Chapter, has rejected the queries, saying its members were acting on a directive issued by the union in compliance with the mandate of its national body.
In a letter dated September 4, 2026, addressed to the Registrar of the polytechnic, the union demanded the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of the queries.
The letter was made available to reporters on Sunday and signed by the union’s Chairman, Dr Oyin-Emi Ogbomah, and the General Secretary, Comrade Nemine Tonprebofa Andrew.
The union said the directive to Heads of Department, Directors and Deans not to attend meetings convened or chaired by the retired former Rector originated from the chapter.
ASUP said it took the position because it did not recognise the retired former Rector as the Rector of the institution.
The union stated, “As a registered and respected trade union representing serving academic staff, ASUP does not recognise a retiree who is a member of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) as Rector of any polytechnic.”
It further argued that serving academic staff could not be bound by directives issued by a retired former Rector.
“To the best of our knowledge, there is no polytechnic in the Federal Republic of Nigeria where a retired Rector issues directives to serving academic staff,” the union said.
It added, “ASUP members are not bound by directives issued by a retiree and will not accept such an anomaly.”
The development comes against the backdrop of an earlier industrial dispute involving ASUP and the management of the institution. The union had embarked on a strike over issues surrounding the administration of the polytechnic but later suspended the action following the intervention of the Bayelsa State Government and the Visitor to the institution, Governor Douye Diri.
ASUP said the suspension was made in recognition of the intervention by the state government and the governor. The union maintained that its immediate concern was to return to the classroom and resume academic activities.
“Our current priority and mandate remain focused on returning to the classroom to teach our students,” the union stated.
However, the management’s queries presented a different account of the circumstances surrounding the September 2 Academic Board meeting. According to the queries, the affected officials were expected to attend the meeting but failed to do so.
The management reportedly said records available at the Registrar’s office indicated that none of the affected officials had communicated their inability to attend the meeting through the appropriate channels. It also stated that no excuse was tendered either before or after the meeting, despite the officials allegedly receiving notification and reminders concerning the meeting.
The management consequently described their absence as a deliberate act capable of undermining the academic progress of the institution. The query stated, “Your absence is regarded as a deliberate act of sabotage against the academic progress of the Institution.”
The management also referred to the payment of staff salaries on September 1, 2026, noting that the salaries had been paid promptly. It further linked the meeting attendance issue to the suspension of the ongoing strike action, arguing that there was no reasonable justification for members of the Academic Board to stay away from an important meeting after the industrial action had been suspended.
The affected officials were directed to submit written explanations for their absence within 48 hours of receiving the queries. The management warned that failure to respond within the stipulated period would result in the matter being referred to the appropriate authorities for possible disciplinary action.
But ASUP rejected the management’s position and insisted that its members acted in accordance with the union’s directive.
The union demanded that all queries issued over the matter be withdrawn immediately and without conditions. “Consequently, the Union demands the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of all queries issued to our members for declining to attend meetings with the retired former Rector,” ASUP stated.
The union also warned that it would take further industrial action if the management failed to withdraw the queries. “We unequivocally state that ASUP will escalate this matter through appropriate industrial channels should these queries not be withdrawn,” the union warned.
