A crisis is brewing at the College of Education, Mosogar in Ethiope West Local Government Area of Delta State following an alleged plot by the State Commissioner for Higher Education, Professor Johnbull Tonukari to impose his preferred candidate as the Registrar of the College.
Chairman, Governing Council, College of Education Mosogar, Chief Lovette Idisi on Friday while addressing journalists in front of his office, which was allegedly sealed by the Provost of the College, Dr Isreal Imide, slammed Professor Tonukari for personally storming the venue for the interview of the shortlisted applicants for the position of Registrar and instigating two out of the nine statutory members of the Council to boycott the screening.
The intention of Tonukari according to Idisi was to prevent a quorum from being formed for the screening for unfortunately for him the quorum was met with seven statutory members of the Council staying put for the exercise.
He explained that just before the commencement of the screening after the Governing Council had fulfilled all processes, the Higher Education Commissioner excused him and made a call to the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) telling him that he had a preferred candidate.
“And I said no, due process in conducting the interview must be followed. Out of frustration, he (Professor Johnbull Tonukari) left. And called the member representing Higher Institutions to boycott the meeting so that quorum would not be met. That was how the number came from nine to eight. And one other person that is supposed to be representing the Union obviously boycotted. That was how seven out of nine statutory members conducted the interview.
“Firstly, why will the Honourable Commissioner come here and start to call people out of the meeting so that quorum will not be met? As God will have it quorum was still met. Then he had the effrontery to write me a letter after he did that quorum was met. Whereas he was physically seen here harvesting members of the council, sabotaging the process so that the interview would not go on.
“We are standing by the law, a quorum was constituted and the substantive Registrar was appointed and immediately after that Council meeting was held and that decision has been ratified. It is only a court of competent jurisdiction that can change what we have done here.
“I have been served and the Honourable Commissioner’s office has been served. Everybody should be on notice that this matter is already subjudiced. Anybody that does anything concerning the office of Registrar will take laws into his or her own hand,” Idisi emphasized.
Idisi also in reply to the letter written Tonukari titled “RE: APPOINTMENT OF REGISTRAR OF COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, MOSOGAR”, bemoamed the Higher Education Commissioner for erroneously saying that five out of nine members of the Governing Council conducted the interview on October 20, 2023, instead seven members who were present for the exercise.
Idisi in his letter submitted thus, “On the strength of the above infractions by you, Council is hereby advising you to withdraw your provoking, unfounded, baseless letter which lacks substance, written in bad and calculated to incite chaos in Council, the institution and the host community”.
Meanwhile, Chief Lovette Idisi has asked the Provost of the College, Dr Isreal Imide, to reopen his office as the Chairman of the Governing Council of the institution as he has no constitutional right to seal the office.
Idisi further directed the Provost to call for a meeting of the Council with adequate security to address allegations based on malfeasance against his office as the provost.
