FUTO: Panel Defends Isa Pantami’s Professorship, Reveals Processes Followed

A panel set up to investigate the Minister, Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami‘s professorship, have tendered its findings.

Pantami was in September, 2021 promoted to a Professor of Cyber Security by the Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO).

He was among seven Readers (Associate Professors) elevated by the Governing Council of FUTO at its 186th meeting.

Following his promotion, controversies ensued where FUTO was questioned for promoting Pantami who was not in the institutions teaching roll and was allegedly in a lower cadre of lecturing. This warranted ASUU to call for an investigation into the matter.

A panel was set up by the FUTO chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on September 22, 2021 to probe Pantami’s professorship.

Giving a report of their findings, the panel said that Pantami’s promotion followed due process.

They noted that they had an interaction with some stakeholders including the University Registrar and the immediate past Chairman, Committee of Deans, among others.

“From our findings and evidence before the panel, members are of the opinion that the appointment of Dr. Isa Ibrahim Pantami as a professor of Cyber-security 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 tried to drag the image and reputation of FUTO to the mud,” the panel said.

According to the panel report, an advertisement for academic and academic support staff vacancies in FUTO for the positions of Professor, Reader, Senior Lecturer and Lecturer appeared in two newspapers on September 21, 2020 and September 22, 2020 respectively.

“Dr. Isa Ibrahim responded and applied for the post of Professor of Cyber-security. He was given a temporary appointment as Professor of Cyber-security in the Cyber-security Department, for which he accepted in writing.

“The prima facie case for Dr. Isa Ibrahim was presented to the Academic Staff Appraisal and Promotion Committee- Professorial (ASAPC-Professorial) meeting held on 17th March, 2021. The Committee discussed the issue and recommended same for approval by the FUTO Council. The Council at its meeting held on the 18th of March, 2021 approved the prima facie case for Dr. Isa Ibrahim to be appointed a Professor of Cyber-security.

“Following the approval of the prima facie case, Dr. Isa Ibrahim’s publications and productive works were sent for external assessment. The external assessment returned positive and the Council at its meeting of 20th August, 2021 approved his appointment as a Professor of Cyber-security. He was given a tenure appointment as a Professor of Cyber-security following his appointment by the FUTO Governing Council.

Members of the probe panel include; Prof. M. S. Nwakaudu (Chairman), Prof. G.A. Anyanwu, Prof. C. E. Orji, Prof. (Mrs.) O.P. Onyewuchi and Prof. T. I. N. Ezejiofor (member/Secretary).