On January 27, 2026, I published an article titled “Are We Allowing the Rectorship of FedPoly Ugep to Slip Away from Cross River?” In it, I drew the attention of the Cross River State government and influential stakeholders to a looming plan by a Director in the Federal Ministry of Education to override the Governing Council’s recommendation and install a Kogi indigene as Rector of the Federal Polytechnic, Ugep.
I had hoped that this wake-up call would prompt swift action to prevent it. Unfortunately, that does not appear to be the case. Even though no official announcement has been made, indications point to the fact that barring any last-minute intervention, a Kogi indigene is set to be announced as the new Rector in the coming days.
For a state that has long endured neglect and marginalization in federal appointments, allowing this to happen again is unfortunate and unacceptable. Which state in Nigeria today has a non-indigene serving as Rector of a federal polytechnic located in its territory? Why are our leaders permitting this? Can this happen in Rivers, Akwa Ibom or any of the other South-South states nay Nigeria ?
Even the students of the institution have protested vigorously, rejecting the plan to appoint a non-indigene. Yet, it seems to have become normal for our leaders to ignore issues like this. Perhaps, we are even undermining the benefits of having one of our own lead a tertiary institution in our state.
Cross River now boasts several professors and promising young academics, thanks in large part to leaders like Prof. Kelvin Okon Etta and Prof. Zana Akpagu, who served as Vice Chancellors of the University of Calabar. Before their tenures, non-indigenes dominated, often limiting opportunities for our people in competitive admissions or key appointments that shape lives. But these leaders not only boosted admissions and opportunities for locals but also created a pipeline of qualified Cross River academics.
There is always a stronger sense of ownership and equity when an indigene heads such an institution. Are we saying that, among all the qualified academics from Cross River, none is capable of leading this polytechnic effectively? This is the same institution whose current campus was generously donated by the state government.
The truth is, if we allow this to happen, it will set a dangerous precedent for other federal tertiary institutions in the state. Those orchestrating this disregard for our sensibilities would never allow it in their own states, but they perceive us as too weak or accommodating to resist.
This would echo the costly mistake of allowing the National Woman Leader of APC position to slip away when Dr. Beta Edu was appointed as Minister. This loss has contributed greatly to our state’s inability to secure any meaningful non-statutory federal appointments nearly three years into President Tinubu’s presidency.
Well, I’m putting this on record for posterity to remember that I raised the alarm, and it was ignored. When the consequences arrive, let it be remembered that voices like mine were ignored.
Honestly, Cross River leaders must rise now to defend our rightful place or continue to watch federal institutions in our state become symbols of continued exclusion. And when it does, it’ll be an indictment on all of us .
-Inyali Peter, Ph.D.
