The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has declared the promotion of Isa Patanmi, minister of Communications and Digital Economy to the rank of a professor illegal, and directed schools not to address him as professor
The Union has also vowed to sanction its members in the Federal University of Technology Owerri, FUTO, and the University’s vice-chancellor for awarding the minister the status of professorship.
In September 2021, Patanmi, alongside seven academics, was elevated by the council of the University to the rank of a professor. Patanmi’s elevation has since generated controversy, with many faulting FUTO on the promotion of the minister who was not teaching in the university and whose highest academic attainment was reportedly the position of a lecturer before he ventured into politics.
Emmanuel Osodeke, ASUU president, speaking at a press conference at the University of Lagos (UNILAG)said, “You cannot be a minister and a lecturer in a university. It is an encouragement of illegality.
“Patanmi has to quit as a minister and be tried for doing double jobs within the same federal system. He is not qualified. Patanmi should not be treated as a professor.”
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“We have resolved to sanction ASUU members involved in his promotion and the VC of FUTO,” Osodeke added.
Isa Ali Ibrahim (born October 20 1972), is an Islamic cleric lectured at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU) before joining the Islamic University of Madinah as Head of Technical Writing in 2014.
He was the director-general of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) from September 26, 2016 to August 20, 2019, when he was nominated as a minister and sworn into office on August 21, 2019.
