By Iduh Onah
THE CRISIS rocking the Federal Polytechnic, Wannune (FPW) in Tarka LGA of Benue State is evolving slowly into a messy scandal following a rebuttal press release by the institution’s Deputy Rector, Dr. Ngurumun Doris Mary Iorchir, on Thursday, to counter what she said were “misleading claims” from a press conference by her principal, the Rector, Dr. Tyover Ashinya.
The press conference in question was addressed by Dr. Ashinya on Monday, August 25, 2025, and reported by some newspapers (not National Record) including an online magazine, People & Politics, which Dr Iorchir referenced. In the publication, Dr Ashinya reportedly claimed that Dr. Iorchir had been removed from office for “gross insubordination” and failure to present required documentation for confirmation.
In the press release made available to National Record, Dr Iorchir not only refuted claims of her dismissal and other allegations but also accused the Rector, Dr. Tyover Ashinya, the Registrar, Dr. Muhammad Ndas, the Governing Council Chairman, Mr. Michael Msuaan, and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, of a conspiracy to silence her, involvement in terrorism and corruption.
She alleged that the polytechnic’s campus was invaded by a criminal gang that threatened to lynch her, vandalised property, and tortured a staff member.
The Deputy Rector directly implicated the Rector, Dr Ashinya, in the attack, alleging that he protected the assailants from arrest.
Allegations Against SGF
In what has emerged as a new dimension, Dr. Iorchir, in her press release, firmly accused the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, of being “deeply involved” with an “organized terrorist group” that is allegedly laundering public money through the polytechnic and establishing it as a “terrorist base in Benue State”.
“On the 7th August 2025, the campus was invaded by criminals who terrorized, intimidated, threatened to lynch me, vandalized official vehicle and tortured a staff. The Rector Dr. Tyover Ashinya was implicated along with other accomplices and eventually the matter was reported to the Police.
“Since the report, I have been awaiting effective police response but the Police are stalling because the SGF. Sen. George Akume is also deeply involved with the organized terrorist group laundering public money through FPW and gradually establishing the institution as a terrorist base in Benue State. For example, information emerged that some of the members of the criminal gang which invaded FPW on the 7th August, 2025 also participated in the attack on Tiv people in Yelwata, Guma Local Government of Benue state such that if only the Police could arrest them on that day much information would have been obtained. However Dr. Tyover Ashinya protected the criminals from arrest and the Council chairman Michael Msuaan also did not report the crime to the Police.
“When I eventually reported to the Police, the SGF Sen. George Akume was furious, called me and scolded even as the criminals targeted me to lynch right on campus in FPW! That was the point where realization dawned on me and taking together other related information and with the power of hindsight, it became very clear to me that the SGF Sen. George Akume had carefully planned to use FPW in other ways in conspiracy with other persons and they operate in a manner which perfectly fits the definition of a terrorist group enhancing their private wealth and financing terrorism (see Terrorism prevention and prohibition Act, 2022) in Benue state!” Dr Iorchir narrated in the press release.
National Record had reported that Senator Akume hails from Wannune and had during the immediate past administration of Muhammadu Buhari, reportedly influenced an alleged relocation of the Federal Polytechnic, Wannune from Kwande, a situation said to have created political tension between him and Senator Gemade who was believed to have initially influenced siting it in Kwande.
When contacted for enquiries for his response to the allegations via WhatsApp message, the SGF was yet to reply as at press time although the message had delivered and been read.
Dr Iorchir, who also serves as FPW’s Director of Academic Planning, categorically denied all allegations, providing documentary evidence to support her claims and revealing that she had filed a “Terror Crime Report” with the police following a violent invasion of the campus on August 7, 2025.
“Before progressing further, the Public is hereby notified, that a ‘Terror Crime Report’ regarding terrorists’ invasion of Federal Polytechnic Wannune Benue State premises on 7th August, 2025 where I was a target for lynching, submitted to the Police dated 11th and 14th August, 2025 implicated Dr. Tyover Ashinya (Rector), Dr. Muhammad Ndas (Registrar), Mr. Michael Msuaan MON (Council Chairman) and others,” Iorchir stated in the press release.
Alleged Interference by the SGF
Dr. Iorchir included a call log showing an incoming call from the SGF, Senator George Akume, on August 12, 2025. She alleged that the SGF scolded her for writing a petition against the management and for reporting the criminal attack to the police.
She further claimed that Akume is involved in a conspiracy. “The reports to the IGP also named Council members who conspired to conceal the terrorists’ invasion from the Police which had protected the criminals from arrest sooner, were also named as accomplices to the crime. The police are delaying to respond to the crime report which in my opinion is due to the fact of the SGF Sen. George Akume being implicated as well. The SGF called…and scolded me for writing a Petition against Dr. Tyover Ashinya and others…threatening to report to the EFCC and reporting the invasion of FPW by a gang of criminals to the Police even as I was targeted for lynching!” Iorchir narrated in the press release.
Qualifications, Confirmation of Appointment:
Contrary to the Rector’s claim that the Deputy Rector failed to provide necessary documents, Dr Iorchir said she submitted copies of her appointment letter, dated May 9, 2022, confirmation letter, dated May 30, 2024, and the Council’s request for staff confirmation dated November 18, 2024, which, she said, included her name.
Iorchir also provided a letter from the Rector himself, dated November 19, 2024, requesting the Governing Council to confirm her appointment as Deputy Rector, praising her qualifications and service.
“Since taking up appointment with the FPW, I have been the pioneer HOD of Accounting, Director of Academic Planning, Deputy Rector, Council member and Chairperson of the Council’s Disciplinary Committee (CDC) and if I had ‘no documents’ I couldn’t have been [given] appointment as a staff of the Institution in the first place, let alone stay on the job for three years and rise to such ranks.
“There are stories of people hiding files or maliciously hiding personnel file content to promote an unlawful agenda. In my case the Rector Dr. Ashinya and Registrar Dr. Ndas hold serious grudges against me as explained in Exhibit 1 thus if they claimed that any document was missing in my file, they must be responsible for the supposed document’s ‘disappearance’ because as for me, relevant documents were submitted to the Registrar before appointment letter was handed to me and during documentation.
“My appointment with FPW was confirmed by Management in a confirmation letter dated 30th May, 2024 and ratified by Council in November 2024 following a request by the Rector Dr. Tyover Ashinya for approval that all staff in the category be confirmed (See Confirmation letter from FPW dated 30th May, 2024) and letter to council request ‘Request for staff confirmation addressed to the Chairman and Members dated 18th November, 2024,” the Deputy Rector asserted in the press release.
Accusation of Insubordination:
Responding to the allegation of insubordination against her, Dr Iorchir counter-accused the Rector and high-ranking government officials of corruption, abuse of power.
Asserting that the actions against her were both unlawful and motivated by his refusal to participate in corrupt practices, the Deputy Rector said her resolve to stand by the results of a merit-based aptitude test for employment, as against the Rector’s quest to jettison it as some of his (Rector’s) associates failed the examination, which she described as a “corrupt or fraudulent practice,” was what was wrongly labelled as gross insubordination.
“It is not true that any of my actions while conducting my duties as Deputy Rector amounted to insubordination. The Rector Dr. Tyover Ashinya abused the powers of the office and attempted to force me to support a corrupt practice of mistreating candidates who wrote aptitude test by disregarding the result and adopt a highly subjective methodology to employ people in FPW rather than choosing candidates on merit through the result of the aptitude test.
“Some of the Rector’s friends failed the test and he claimed that other persons who must be employed also failed while some did not write the test at all. My stand was lawful as it is not useful to subject people to a test, promise them that the result would be used for selecting successful candidates and turn around to disregard the results of the same examination because some of your friends failed or otherwise.
“I believe that choosing to follow the law rather than support a corrupt or fraudulent practice projected by a superior, is not insubordination,” Dr Iorchir clarified.
Dismissal claim fake
Further challenging her dismissal, the Deputy Rector provides a critical legal analysis, stating that the Governing Council lacks the authority to unilaterally sack one of its own members.
Citing the Federal Polytechnic Act 2004 (as amended in 2019), she clarifies that the Council can only make a recommendation for removal to the President after following strict due process, a procedure she noted was not followed.
“This is another misleading claim because the Council cannot sack a council member… The Fed Poly Act 2004 amended in 2019 shows in section 3(2)(e ) that the Deputy Rector is a Council member.
“The FPA 2004 (Amended in 2019) section 16 is clear that Council shall make a recommendation to the President and that is IF it seems to Council that a member should be removed having followed due process to arrive at such a conclusion.
“The Board that can sit in judgment over the conduct of a council member is also stipulated in amended section 12. the Council cannot issue a sack letter in whatever nomenclature to another Council member. By the provisions of the FPA 2004 as amended, the highest punishment that council can give another council member is the negative recommendation to the President and that is, after following the law to establish a member’s guilt…
“Following from the above, may it be noted that I am not aware that Council held any meeting since the last Council meeting of 30th July, 2025 and council convenes quarterly except for emergencies and the emergency in question would also be disclosed in a meeting invitation to all council members.”
