The Academic Staff Union of Universities’ probe panel has cleared the governing council and the management of the Federal University of Technology, Owerri of alleged infractions in the appointment of the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Ibrahim Pantami, as a professor of Cybersecurity.
The panel said the university followed due process and subjected Pantami’s publications to evaluation by external assessors and also established a prima facie case for him to be so appointed.
A copy of the report signed by the chairman of the panel, Prof. M. S. Nwakaudu and four other members said: “From our findings and evidence before the panel, members are of the opinion that the appointment of Dr Isa Ibrahim as a Professor of Cybersecurity by the FUTO Governing Council followed due process.
“The panel strongly recommends that the university management should, as a matter of urgency, take appropriate actions, including legal action, against those who deliberately try to drag the image and reputation of FUTO to the mud.”
The report noted that following some misgivings over Pantami’s appointment as a professor in the School of Information and Communication Technology (SICT), the ASUUU FUTO Congress, on September 22, 2021, set up the investigation committee to, within seven days, ascertain whether or not due process was applied in Pantami’s appointment.
It said the Dean of SICT assessed the publications and productive works using the FUTO guidelines for appointment and promotion and established a prima facie case for Pantami to be appointed a professor of Cybersecurity.
It said the prima facie case was presented to the Academic Staff Appraisal and Promotion Committee- Professorial and the committee discussed the issue and recommended same for approval by the FUTO council.
