Patanmi’s Professorship: FUTO Drags ASUU To Court

Following the exchange of words between the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU and authorities of Federal University of Technology Owerri,FUTO, over the promotion of Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Ali Pantami as Professor, the institution’s Vice Chancellor, Prof. Nnenna Oti, has said the management had gone to court over ASUU’s rejection of the coveted academic rank.

This followed the threat by ASUU to sanction FUTO management for approving Pantami as a professor while he is still in Federal Government’s active service as a minister.

Oti told The Nation yesterday that the management went to court on the matter, saying any comment or discussion on it is subjudice.

But a senior management worker, who spoke in confidence, claimed that ASUU has no right to dabble into a matter it has no jurisdiction over.

“Just like ASUU does not tell the university council and its Senate who to promote, it cannot tell them the criteria for promoting somebody to rank of professor. In law, you cannot withdraw what you don’t have. ASUU does not regulate appointments and promotions. Some of these things are derived from NUC guidelines, and every university sets up its standard,” the source said.