Students of Federal Polytechnic, Ugep, Cross River, on Friday, protested at the governor’s office in Calabar over an alleged plan to appoint a non-indigene as rector for the institution.

Carrying placards with various inscriptions, the students demanded respect for catchment area policy, local content, and the appointment of an indigene of the state as rector of the institution.

Speaking on behalf of the students in Calabar, Stephen Etem said the protest sought to alert the federal and Cross River governments to an alleged deviation from the established rectorial selection process.

Mr Etem said a governing council, chaired by Senator Florence Ita-Giwa, was constituted by the federal government to conduct the rector selection exercise.

“The screening which began last year reportedly produced a Cross River indigene as highest scorer and recommended candidate.

“Information available to us suggests that the alleged recommended candidate’s name might be substituted at the Federal Ministry of Education.

“We urge the Federal Government to uphold the council’s recommendation because altering the process could threaten peace in the institution,” he noted.

Responding at the Government House, Goddie Akpama, special adviser on intelligence to Governor Bassey Otu, appealed for calm, saying the governor was away but would be briefed.

Mr Akpama advised the students to submit written petitions through appropriate channels, avoid inflammatory language, and engage authorities to ensure stability and uninterrupted academic activities. 

(NAN)