Ogwashi-Uku Polytechnic: ASUP Declares Two-Week Warning Strike as Governing Council Counters, Accuses Union of Shielding Management
Ogwashi-Uku Polytechnic: ASUP Declares Two-Week Warning Strike as Governing Council Counters, Accuses Union of Shielding Management
Ogwashi-Uku, Delta State — October 22, 2025
Tension appears to be heightening at the Delta State Polytechnic, Ogwashi-Uku, as the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), Ogwashi-Uku Chapter, and the institution’s Governing Council exchange positions over the two-week warning strike declared by the Union on Tuesday, October 21, 2025.
While ASUP insists that the industrial action became necessary due to the government’s failure to address the lingering issues of alleged result racketeering, administrative impasse, and unending power tussle between the Council and Management, the Governing Council has described the strike as “ill-advised, self-serving, and politically motivated.”
ASUP’s Position: “Our Action Is To Save The Polytechnic”
In its press release signed by Comrade (Dr.) Michael Ogana, Chairman of ASUP, Delta State Polytechnic, Ogwashi-Uku, the Union said the two-week warning strike was born out of frustration over the institution’s eight-month-long leadership stalemate and reputational decline.
The statement accused the Governing Council of overstepping its bounds and faulted its alleged arbitrary suspension of key management officers, including the Registrar and Rector, without due process or verified evidence.
ASUP recalled that the Governing Council first suspended the Registrar in February 2025 over alleged result racketeering and later, in July 2025, suspended the Rector on accusations of financial impropriety — both of which, according to the Union, lacked substantiation and legal backing.
The Union emphasized that Governor Sheriff Oborevwori had already repudiated the Council’s decisions, describing them as ultra vires (beyond legal authority), yet the internal crisis has persisted, grounding institutional operations.
ASUP lamented that the Polytechnic’s image has been “dragged through the mud” due to the unchecked spread of internal matters on social media, a situation it believes has discouraged prospective students and demoralized staff.
“Our action is not political; it is moral, institutional, and necessary for the survival of Delta State Polytechnic, Ogwashi-Uku,” the statement declared.
ASUP’s Demands
ASUP outlined several conditions for calling off the warning strike, urging the State Government to take decisive actions, including:
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Review and implement the already concluded reports of the Council and Inter-Ministerial Committees without setting up new ones.
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End harassment of staff by the Police and other security agents allegedly acting on the directives of the Council.
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Call the Governing Council to order and clearly re-communicate its constitutional functions to restore governance sanity.
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Reconstitute or substitute the current Council to restore peace and stability.
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Recall the suspended Registrar, describing the suspension as unlawful and procedurally flawed.
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Arrest and prosecute the alleged false whistleblower, Mr. Raphael Ufua, for peddling unverified information that damaged the institution’s image.
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Initiate public enlightenment through the Ministry of Higher Education to redeem the Polytechnic’s public reputation.
“We are ready to return to work once these legitimate conditions are met,” ASUP stated, reaffirming its commitment to dialogue and due process.
Council’s Response: “The Strike Is Politically Motivated”
Reacting swiftly, the Governing Council of Delta State Polytechnic, Ogwashi-Uku, issued a counter-statement condemning the Union’s decision to embark on a warning strike.
In the statement signed by Hon. (Pastor) Paul Adingwupu, Chairman of the Governing Council, the Council described the action as “an attempt to derail investigations into certificate and result racketeering, recklessness, and financial mismanagement involving some principal officers.”
According to the Council, the allegations which sparked the crisis are not fabricated but are currently being handled by the Delta State House of Assembly, following earlier reviews by the Office of the Deputy Governor to ensure fairness and transparency.
“This strike is nothing but an attempt to blackmail the government into halting legitimate investigations into corruption,” the Council said.
It alleged that the ASUP leadership was being influenced by individuals who fear exposure and accountability, warning that the union had deviated from its core mandate of protecting academic staff welfare.
Council Questions ASUP’s Motives
The Council further argued that the suspended Registrar is not an ASUP member, but belongs to another union, and wondered why ASUP had taken up the cause of non-members if not for ulterior motives.
“If the affected officers are from other unions, why is ASUP fighting on their behalf? Where are their unions? This clearly shows compromise and conflict of interest,” the Council maintained.
On the Union’s demand for the reinstatement of the Registrar, the Governing Council stressed that the issue is already before a competent court, describing ASUP’s intervention as sub judice and contemptuous of judicial process.
It also accused the Union of hypocrisy, noting that while ASUP leaders had earlier praised Governor Oborevwori for his labour-friendly disposition, they were now turning around to undermine his administration.
“This strike has nothing to do with staff welfare or conditions of service,” the Council insisted, “it is a calculated attempt to obstruct justice and shield certain management officials.”
Commitment to Due Process
Reiterating its stand, the Council declared that it remains committed to due process, accountability, and the restoration of order in the Polytechnic.
“Our duty is to protect the integrity of this institution. No amount of intimidation or blackmail will stop us from doing what is right,” the statement concluded, urging the government and the public to disregard the strike.
The Broader Implication
The clash of perspectives between the Union and the Council has left students, staff, and observers in a state of uncertainty. While ASUP insists its strike is a call for institutional rescue, the Council views it as a ploy to obstruct justice.
Both parties, however, agree on one thing — that the integrity of the Polytechnic and the future of its students must remain the top priority.
As of press time, the Delta State Ministry of Higher Education has not officially responded to either side’s statement, though there are indications that mediation efforts may soon be initiated to restore normalcy on campus.
Editorial Remark by Dr. Odimientimi Agbedeyi
Institutions of learning are built on the pillars of knowledge, fairness, and accountability. When internal conflicts become public spectacles, the very foundation of academia — credibility — is shaken. What is happening in Ogwashi-Uku Polytechnic is not merely an administrative tussle; it is a test of leadership maturity, ethical responsibility, and institutional governance.
Both the Governing Council and ASUP represent vital organs of the Polytechnic system — one ensures policy direction, the other safeguards the welfare of intellectual manpower. But when both sides clash without restraint, the students, the reputation, and the future of the institution bear the brunt.
The time has come for all stakeholders — from the State Ministry of Higher Education to the Council and the Union — to rise above ego and politics, and prioritize the restoration of sanity, trust, and transparency in the Polytechnic system. For at the end of every strike, it is the students who count the loss, not the power blocs.
Tags: ASUP Ogwashi-Uku, Delta State Polytechnic Crisis, Governing Council Response, Delta State Education, Polytechnic Governance, Dr. Michael Ogana, Paul Adingwupu, Dr. Odimientimi Agbedeyi
Facebook Caption:
⚖️ Tension at Delta State Polytechnic, Ogwashi-Uku, as ASUP declares two-week warning strike while the Governing Council fires back, accusing the Union of shielding management from accountability. Dr. Odimientimi Agbedeyi calls for calm, transparency, and institutional integrity.
#ASUP #DeltaPolytechnic #OgwashiUku #EducationNews #GlobalEgberiMedia
Source: Oasis Magazine / ASUP Press Release (Delta State Polytechnic, Ogwashi-Uku Chapter)
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