From Musa Solomon, Yola
The crisis rocking some tertiary institutions in Adamawa State and the state’s students association has taken a curious twist with the president of the state chapter of the National Union of Adamawa State Students, Mr. Billai Abdulahi, calling for the resignation of the State Commissioner for Higher Education, Alhaji Abubakar Ahmed Rufai, and the Special Assistant (SA) to the Governor on Students Affairs, Alhaji Muhammad Ahmad Marafa.
They promise a shut-down of the State Ministry of Education if both men do not throw in their letters of resignation.
Addressing journalists Friday in Yola, the association’s president accused the commissioner and the governor’s aide of allegedly stirring trouble in the union and other tertiary institutions in the state, pointing out that the duo, if not removed from office, will soon undermine educational development in the state.
Abdulahi said that if the commissioner fails to resign latest on Tuesday, the union will on Wednesday mobilize over ten thousand students and take over the Ministry of Education .
“We are giving the commissioner for higher education, Abubakar Ahmad Rufai, and the SA to the governor on students liaison, Muhammad Ahmad Marafa, two working days starting from Monday to resign their appointments.” He accused them of alleged incompetence, fanaticism and lack of respect for the rule of law, and students of Adamawa state.
“The illegal caretaker committee (for the Union of Adamawa students) set up by the commissioner cease to operate, since there are legally elected officials of the union in place. The commissioner should be reminded that we students are not staff of his ministry so he lacks powers to preside over our affairs,” he stated.
The students leadership blamed the commissioner for the alleged protracted crisis rocking some of the state-owned higher institutions, pointing out that the state polytechnic closed down last week should immediately be re-opened for students to continue with their examinations.
The commissioner has been roundly criticized for the crises rocking the Adamawa State University Mubi; Adamawa State Polytechnic, Yola; School of Agriculture Ganye; and School of Health Technology Mubi.
Adamawa State University, Mubi was shut down for over four months by lecturers over the appointment of the vice chancellor, Dr. Moses Zarwa; and the sacking of some lecturers for opposing the appointment of the vice chancellor.