The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has denounced the promotion of Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Ibrahim Pantami as a professor of cyber security by the management of the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO).
ASUU President Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke said Pantami’s professorial elevation was illegal as he directed schools not to recognize the minister as a professor.
Pantami was among seven academics elevated by the council of FUTO to the position of a professorship at the council’s 186th meeting. His promotion had been controversial for many in academia who argued that he does not merit it.
One of his critics Farooq kperogi said “Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami’s record does not qualify him for any” by the “three legitimate ways to become a professor.”
“Pantami does not come even remotely close to their record in the field FUTO awarded him a fraudulent professorship.
He stated that Pantami’s PhD is in management, a social science discipline, not in computer science or cybersecurity.
Osodeke said ASUU sent a fact-finding team to FUTO to investigate the professorship award. The team has submitted a comprehensive report to the National Executive Council (NEC).
“As a result of the comprehensive report submitted on all the relevant matters, NEC hereby rejects in its entity, the purported appointment of Dr. Isah Ali Ibrahim Pantami as a professor of cyber security,” Osodeke said.
“From the evidence available to us, Dr. Pantami was not qualified, and the said appointment violated established procedure for appointment of professors in the university.”
The ASUU president said the NEC has directed “all members and branches of our union throughout the Nigerian federation not to recognize, accord or treat Dr. Isah Ali Ibrahim Pantami as a professor of cyber security under any guise.
“NEC also resolved to sanction all ASUU members who participated in process that led to the illegal appointment in accordance with the’ established procedures of our union.”