ASUP Bayelsa Poly: Retired Rector Dispute Ignites Over Disciplinary Queries

• Bayelsa State Polytechnic management issued queries to senior academic staff for missing an Academic Board meeting on September 2, 2026, citing their absence as an act of sabotage.
• The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) rejected the queries, stating members were acting on a union directive not to attend meetings chaired by the retired former Rector.
• ASUP argues it does not recognize a retiree, who is a member of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), as the institution's Rector and that serving staff are not bound by such directives.
• The union demanded the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of the queries in a letter dated September 4, 2026, signed by its Chairman and General Secretary.
• This dispute follows a previous ASUP strike over administrative issues, which was suspended after intervention by the Bayelsa State Government and Governor Douye Diri.

ASUP maintains that, as a registered trade union representing active academic staff, it does not acknowledge a retiree, who is a member of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), as the Rector of any polytechnic.

A significant disagreement has emerged between the administration of Bayelsa State Polytechnic and its chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) following the issuance of disciplinary queries to several senior academic staff. The institution's management initiated action against various Heads of Department, Directors, and Deans for their non-attendance at an Academic Board meeting held on Wednesday, September 2, 2026. These queries, dated September 3, cited the officials' absence without prior notification or explanation, characterizing their conduct as a deliberate act undermining the institution's academic progress.

However, the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, Bayelsa State Polytechnic Chapter, has firmly rejected these queries. The union asserts that its members were acting in accordance with a directive issued by the chapter, which itself was in compliance with a mandate from ASUP's 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 all queries. This letter, made public on Sunday, was jointly signed by Dr. Oyin-Emi Ogbomah, the union's Chairman, and Comrade Nemine Tonprebofa Andrew, its General Secretary.

At the heart of this ASUP Bayelsa Poly retired Rector dispute is the union's refusal to recognize the retired former Rector as the legitimate head of the institution. The directive issued by the union specifically instructed Heads of Department, Directors, and Deans not to participate in meetings convened or chaired by this individual. ASUP maintains that, as a registered trade union representing active academic staff, it does not acknowledge a retiree, who is a member of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), as the Rector of any polytechnic.

The union further elaborated on its stance, arguing that serving academic personnel cannot be bound by instructions issued by a retired former Rector. It highlighted that, to its knowledge, no polytechnic within the Federal Republic of Nigeria operates with a retired Rector issuing directives to its current academic staff. Consequently, ASUP members consider themselves not obligated to follow such directives and have declared their unwillingness to accept what they perceive as an irregularity concerning retired Rector authority in Nigeria's education sector.

The polytechnic's management, in issuing the queries, presented a different account of the circumstances surrounding the September 2 Academic Board meeting. According to their records, the affected officials were expected to be present, and there was no communication through appropriate channels indicating their inability to attend. Furthermore, the management stated that no excuses were tendered either before or after the meeting, despite notifications and reminders having been sent to the officials. The administration reiterated its view that the absences constituted a deliberate act capable of hindering the institution's academic advancement.

This current Bayelsa State Polytechnic industrial dispute unfolds against the backdrop of a previous period of unrest involving ASUP and the institution's administration. The union had previously engaged in a strike action over various administrative concerns but subsequently suspended it following the intervention of the Bayelsa State Government and Governor Douye Diri, who serves as the Visitor to the institution. ASUP had then affirmed that its decision to suspend the strike was made in recognition of the state government's and the governor's intervention, stating its immediate priority was to return to the classroom and resume academic activities.

The ongoing confrontation underscores the complexities surrounding employee queries union instructions within Nigeria's education sector labor law framework. ASUP's firm rejection of the queries and its explicit challenge to the retired Rector's authority signal a potential for renewed industrial action if the demands for withdrawal are not met. The union's position is a clear assertion of its right to issue directives to its members, particularly when those directives stem from a fundamental disagreement over institutional leadership legitimacy.

This development highlights a critical juncture for the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics Bayelsa, as it seeks to protect its members from disciplinary action for adhering to union mandates. The outcome of this dispute could establish precedents regarding the legal standing of directives from retired officials in public institutions and the extent to which staff can be penalized for acting on union instructions, especially when those instructions are rooted in a challenge to perceived administrative anomalies.

This development highlights the legal complexities surrounding the authority of retired officials in public institutions and the potential for industrial disputes when unions challenge such authority. Lawyers advising educational institutions should assess the legal basis for a retired Rector's continued involvement and the legality of querying staff who act on union directives, while those advising unions should note the potential for precedent regarding member protection in similar disputes.

Source: Original reporting via PUNCH Online