By: Amb. Valentine Adese (JP) and Marvelous Ori Jerome
As the news concerning alleged plans to close the Plateau State University Bokkos continues to hit the airwaves, the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Plateau State chapter, Hon. Rufus Bature has called on the Plateau State chapter of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) and the State Government to take the information seriously and do the needful.
The Chairman in a press conference and an Exclusive Interview with REALITY Crew, insisted that the Executive Arm of the Government of Plateau State must rise to correct any of the illegality that is been alleged that may lead to such closure.
You would recall that the PDP in a press statement, dated 9th April 2024, signed by the State Chairman, Hon. Chris Hassan, had stated that the information from the APC was Politically Motivated.
In part, the PDP stated that “The attention of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) has been drawn to some malicious press statements signed by the Acting Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and the Chairman of APC Elders Council, raising concerns over some unfounded allegations on an attempt to close Plateau State University Bokkos by the National University Commission (NUC).
“These statements, which are politically motivated were deliberately crafted and disseminated by the aforementioned groups, aimed at feeding unsuspecting members of the public, particularly the good citizens of Plateau State with outright falsehoods on issues that do not exist. Their intention is to mischievously mislead both students and esteemed stakeholders about the giant strides our cherished Plateau State University Bokkos has recorded in the last few weeks”.
However, Hon. Rufus Bature, while reiterating the position of the information before the APC as a party in the state in the interview with REALITY said, “And that is why we are concerned that if NUC is threatening to close the University for illegality that has been done by the removal of the Vice Chancellor without following due process and then removal of Lecturers whom abi nitio were employed, to give the University the opportunity for their courses to be accredited, is a thing of concern.
“And as a prerequisite for the courses in the University to be accredited, the school must have a certain number of qualified Lecturers.
“And as far as the APC is concerned, these people were qualified, they went through the process of interview and they merited their positions”.
“Therefore, if we show concern about the closure or the discontinuation of any course(s) at the Plateau State University, it shows that we are patriotic, we love Plateau, and we love our students.
“We don't want them to miss anything”.
In part, Hon. Rufus Bature the APC Chairman said, “And that is why we are concerned that, if NUC is threatening to close the university for illegality that has been done by the removal of the Vice Chancellor without following due process and then removal of Lecturers, whom ab initio were employed, to give the University the opportunity for their courses to be accredited is a thing of concern.
“And as a prerequisite for the courses to be accredited, they must have a certain number of qualified Lecturers. As far as the APC is concerned, these people were qualified. They went through the process of interview and they merited their positions.
“We are concerned because, when we came in 2015 we met the University closed. It was moribund and we did everything possible with NUC to make sure that the University was reopened, and it was reopened.
“We did everything as a government then, to make sure that more courses were brought to the University and accredited. That was why the employment was done in the first place. It was not because anybody wanted to employ his brother or sister but it was for the indigenes and Plateau to benefit from the University.
“Plateau State University was opened before Nasarawa State University, where is Nasarawa State University today? Where is PLASU? And if we are trying to catch up, why do we..sic..... because of politics. Why are we going backward?
“That is our main concern, it is not about my friends being employed or not. Any qualified person should be there.
“And it's not all the time that you will be able to meet up with every local government bringing in the same number of qualified people.
“My call on the Plateau people, the Governor, the Legislature, and any rational-thinking Plateau person who has a conscience is that for us, we need to do the needful, let us allow sleeping dogs to lie, after all, Government is a continuum.
“There are people who have been Governors before and they are still leaving their legacies, and some people are going to build on it.
“And that is one of the things that as a government in 2015- 19 and very unprecedented, we built on the legacies that certain Governors have left behind.
“So, we are feeling that whatever the past government has done, so long as it is not the past government that is the beneficiaries of those policies now, this government should continue with it. Because there is nothing Satanic in those policies.
“As a party, we have accepted our faith that we don't have the governor, but we have the Legislature and we will partner with the Governor to make sure that the Dividends of Democracy trickle down to the people at the grassroots.
“We will make the Governor sit up. Where he is lying low, we will make sure that what is supposed to be done for the people is done”.
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