The Federal Polytechnic, Offa, Kwara State, has resumed its suspended semester examinations following a dispute between the institution's management and the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics over security concerns and the holding of governing council meetings outside the school premises.

The examinations, which were disrupted after ASUP members withdrew their services on September 15, 2026, resumed on Monday across the institution's two campuses alongside other academic activities.

The Rector of the polytechnic, Kamoru Kadiri, confirmed the development while responding to enquiries from The PUNCH, saying academic activities had returned to normal.

"As I am talking to you, our semester exams are going on," Kadiri said.

The dispute followed the decision of the institution's governing council to hold some of its meetings outside the polytechnic, particularly in Ilorin, the state capital, with ASUP questioning the security justification given for the arrangement.

The union, in a letter dated September 15 and addressed to the Chairman of the Governing Council, accused the management and council of failing to resolve what it described as longstanding challenges affecting staff welfare and the working environment.

The letter, signed by the ASUP Chairman, Yemi Alabi, was titled "Re: Holding of Governing Council Meetings Outside the Polytechnic."

Alabi stated, "It is no news that our institution has been plagued with unprecedented industrial disharmony over the years, and this instability has been reiterated by the union to be hinged on poor working conditions, declining staff welfare, uninhabitable working environment, et al. But the council has turned a blind eye to these palpable concerns."

ASUP also alleged that the management had relied on insecurity to justify moving council meetings away from the institution and accused it of giving the Federal Ministry of Education misleading information on the matter.

Alabi said the union had reached the conclusion that the governing council had failed in its oversight responsibilities and that the actions of the management and council could affect peace within the institution and its host community.

"The governing council/rector has misinformed the Federal Ministry of Education and channelled them towards an administrative error; that the institution is no longer safe for staffers," he said.

The union subsequently called for Kadiri's suspension over alleged malfeasance and declared a vote of no confidence in the principal officers and governing council.

"Consequently, the union is hereby calling for the immediate suspension of the Rector, Engr. Kamoru O. Kadiri, for alleged sundry malfeasance, while also giving a vote of no confidence in the principal officers and governing council," Alabi stated.

The union also announced the withdrawal of services by its academic staff until the security concerns were addressed by the Ministry of Education.

However, the management maintained that the decision to conduct council meetings outside the polytechnic was not a departure from the statutory functions of the governing council.

In a letter written to the Minister of Education in August, Kadiri, on behalf of the governing council, explained that the arrangement was intended to safeguard institutional stability and ensure that the council continued to perform its functions.

"The decision to hold council and committee meetings outside the polytechnic should not be construed as a departure from the statutory responsibilities of the governing council or a diminution of the authority of the polytechnic," the rector stated.

Kadiri described the arrangement as "a temporary and precautionary administrative measure" adopted in the interest of institutional stability, effective governance, personal security and the uninterrupted discharge of the council's statutory functions.

The Federal Ministry of Education subsequently approved the request, with the Director of Polytechnic Education and Allied Institutions, Igwe Amy, conveying the ministerial approval to the institution.

"I am directed to convey to you the approval of the Hon Minister for the Governing Council and Council's statutory committee meetings to be convened at temporarily suitable venues outside the confines of the polytechnic due to security reasons, as you requested," Igwe stated.

The ministry, however, directed that the meetings be conducted with strict adherence to due process.