Rectors of Federal Polytechnics Refute Alleged Bribes by Lawmakers

Juliet Akoje in Abuja. 

The Rectors of Federal Polytechnics in the country, yesterday, refuted allegations that they were asked for bribes by members of the House of Representatives ad-hoc committee investigating alleged job racketeering and mismanagement of the Integrated Personnel Payment Information System (IPPIS) by Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

An online newspaper had alleged that some members of the panel had asked vice chancellors of universities and heads of tertiary institutions  to pay certain amount of money as bribes into a bank account in order to give them a soft landing.

Lawmakers were also alleged to have been engaging in extortion of money from heads of federal ministries, departments and agencies, including those of tertiary institutions across the country.

But chairman of the Committee of Federal Polytechnics’ Rectors, Engr. Yahaya Mohammed, who spoke on behalf of the polytechnic rectors who were present at the resumed hearing of the investigative hearing, said they had at no time interfaced with any member of the panel and also denied being given any account number to pay bribes as alleged.

Mohammed, who is also the Rector of Federal Polytechnic, Kaura Namoda, Zamfara State, said this when chairman of the ad hoc committee, Yusuf Adamu Gagdi, asked him to speak on the allegations of bribery and extortion levied against members of the committee as reported.

The rector said, “This is our first time of interfacing with the committee. All of us came into Abuja yesterday. Chairman, we are not in receipt of any account number or account name by any member of this committee.

“I will say under oath that we have not received any account number from any member of this committee.”

Gagdi, said he had written to the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate the account number allegedly released to heads of tertiary institutions for the payments of bribes as reported.

He said, “I have already written to the ICPC to investigate that account number that was published; the owner of that account and whether there is any transaction by vice chancellors, rectors of polytechnics and leaders of tertiary institutions in the country.”