The leadership of the National Association of Polytechnic Students (NAPS) has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene in the crisis at Ekowe Polytechnic, situated in Bayelsa State.

NAPS President, Comrade Eshiofune Paul Oghayan, at a press conference held in Abuja on Thursday, argued that there is a need for President Tinubu to act with urgency and deploy the Niger Delta Military Joint Task Force to Federal Polytechnic Ekowe to safeguard lives, properties, and restore academic stability.

NAPS also called on the Non Academic Staff Union (NASU) in the institution to embrace dialogue with the management of the institution in the interest of the students, Bayelsa State and the nation.

NAPS issued an ultimatum to the Federal Government and the management of Ekowe Polytechnic Bayelsa State, demanding an end to the industrial impasse. They also threatened that if the crisis persists beyond September 8, they will organise a nationwide solidarity action until students return to classes.

The student union declared that enough is enough, insisting that ethnic prejudice, reckless unionism, ego and selfish interests must not hold an entire institution hostage forever.

“As a body representing the interest of over 2.8 million Polytechnic students, we are presenting a unanimous position and calling for the end of the needless crisis in Federal Polytechnic Ekowe for the sake of members whose fate is previously hanging in the air,” it noted.

“Whereas it is evident that Polytechnic management under Dr. Lukman Adegoke Agbabiaka has recorded visible achievements including the restoration of lapsed National Board of Technical Education (NBTE) accreditation till 2029, the lifting of a two-year NYSC and ITF ban, refurbishment of students hostels with solar power, revival of workshops, and establishment of ICT centers, the continued closure of the institution has not helped anybody.

“Their personal and unjustifiable grievance should not stand in the way of student progress and academic continuity. In fact, appropriate disciplinary measures should be meted out to them with immediate alacrity.”

The Polytechnic has been grounded following a dispute between the leadership of the Non Academic Staff Union (NASU) and management of the institution, which resulted in violence, prompting the Academic Staff Union Polytechnic (ASUP) to withdraw their services pending security guarantees from management and security agencies.

This development has grounded academic activities for more than three months, a development that has grossly affected the students who are at the receiving end of the crisis with truncated academic calendar, delays in NYSC mobilisation and other sundry issues.