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Group hails ASUU, FUTO on objective probe of Pantami’s professorship
Islamic human rights group, the Muslim Rights Concern, MURIC, has commended the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU “for being objective in its investigation” into the appointment of the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Ibrahim Pantami as a professor of Cyber Security by the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, FUTO.
MURIC, in a statement signed and released by its director, Prof. Ishaq Akintola, expressed happiness that FUTO was not found of any wrongdoing at the end of the probe.
According to the director, ASUU, through a five-man panel, “affirmed that its investigation revealed that Pantami went through rigorous processes before his appointment as a professor of Cyber Security.”
“Finally, we commend ASUU for its objectivity and professionalism in this investigation. We also give kudos to FUTO for exhibiting enviable vision, unrelenting courage and for championing due process.
“We charge other tertiary institutions to emulate FUTO by thinking outside the box to initiate new programmes and courses capable of facilitating Nigeria’s technological breakthrough,” he stated.
The statement further reads: “The Academic Staff Union of Universities yesterday issued a statement clearing the Federal University of Technology (FUTO), Owerri, of any misdemeanour in the appointment of the Minister of Digital Economy, Professor Isa Ali Pantami, as a professor of CyberSecurity. This should rest the furore over the appointment.
“We knew ab initio that ethnic jingoism and tramadolised religiousity was at the bottom of the hullabaloo. Some elites in Southern Nigeria, are always eager to ethnicise and religionize any issue whenever it involves a Muslim. They have thrown objectivity, constructive criticism and meritocracy to the winds.
“Their avowed dogma is that nothing good can emanate from the North or from Muslims. Worse still, they are always prepared to rob the North and anyone who is a Muslim of any right, priviledge, entitlement or glory. They would have done worse if the appointment had come from a university based in the North.
“Equally noteworthy is the fact that no professor of Northern extraction was a member of the probe panel. There was also no single Muslim among them. ASUU did a clinical job. The five-man probe panel comprised Engr. Prof. M. S. Nwakaudu, chairman, Prof. G.A. Anyanwu, Prof. C. E. Orji, Prof. Mrs. O.P. Onyewuchi; and Prof. T. I. N. Ezejiofor as member and secretary.
“The report also added that Pantami’s application scaled six hurdles before it was ratified by the Governing Council while external assessors were engaged to examine the minister’s publications as required in such circumstances.”
MURIC, therefore, urged all Nigerians to embrace tolerance, accommodation, cooperation and love, saying “we must eschew ill will, bad faith and bad blood.”
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