Reps threaten arrest of Ede Poly rector, bursar over audit queries
By Waliu Adetokun, Osogbo
The House of Representatives Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has threatened to issue arrest warrants against the Rector of the Federal Polytechnic, Ede, Engr. Dr. Sani Man Yahaya, and the institution’s Bursar, Aishat Shade Adebayo, over unresolved audit queries and alleged financial irregularities.
The committee has directed the two officials to appear before it on Monday, October 19, 2026, warning that it would invoke the powers of the House to compel their attendance if they fail to honour the invitation.
PAC Chairman, Rep. Bamidele Salam, disclosed this on Friday after the committee adopted a technical committee’s report on the responses of six tertiary institutions to audit queries issued by the Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation.
The decision followed a review of issues arising from the Federal Polytechnic, Ede’s 2021 Audit Report, findings from the committee’s South-West oversight exercise and petitions received against the institution’s management.
Salam said the committee was concerned about the repeated failure of the rector and bursar to appear before it despite several invitations.
He said the officials were expected to explain the outstanding audit queries, respond to allegations of financial irregularities and provide documents required for the ongoing investigation.
The committee also raised concerns about the execution of projects at the institution, saying its inspection team found instances where the quality of work appeared inconsistent with the amounts paid to contractors.
During an inspection of an ongoing lecture theatre project at the polytechnic’s permanent site, lawmakers reportedly found the concrete flooring leading to the entrance in poor condition.
The committee said the concrete was so weak that it could be broken with hands and feet, raising questions about the quality of construction and the value of payments made.
It subsequently requested the project’s Bill of Quantities, procurement records and details of the contractor. The documents, however, were not made available, according to the committee.
Audit queries and spending concerns
The committee said the institution had three outstanding queries in its 2021 Audit Report.
They involved an unretired cash advance, the engagement of an external solicitor without approval from the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, and foreign trips undertaken without evidence of approval from the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.
Lawmakers also expressed concern over the late submission of the institution’s audited accounts for the 2022, 2023 and 2024 financial years.
The committee’s South-West oversight findings further revealed a significant difference between the polytechnic’s approved overhead budget and its actual expenditure in 2023.
According to the figures examined, the institution budgeted ₦110.2 million for overhead costs but recorded actual expenditure of ₦882.5 million, representing an excess of about ₦772 million.
The committee also queried the difference between the institution’s approved personnel budget and actual spending.
While ₦2.862 billion was approved for personnel expenditure in 2023, the audited accounts showed that ₦2.593 billion was spent, leaving a variance of approximately ₦268.5 million.
The lawmakers said the figures raised questions about the institution’s budget preparation and financial controls.
Another issue was the failure to provide evidence of the mandatory one per cent remittance of personnel emoluments to the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) for the period between 2023 and 2025.
The committee also faulted the institution for failing to produce procurement records covering capital expenditure and Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) projects despite repeated requests.
It said the absence of the documents had hampered its efforts to examine the procurement process and establish whether public funds were properly utilised.
Committee queries ₦20.5m pension remittance
The PAC also raised concerns over ₦20.5 million reportedly not credited to the Retirement Savings Accounts of some employees by Stanbic IBTC Pension and Access Pension.
The committee attributed the delay to the institution’s alleged failure to provide accurate employee information, including Retirement Savings Account Personal Identification Numbers, to the pension fund administrators.
It warned that the affected workers could lose interest and other investment returns because of the delay in crediting their retirement savings.
Salam said the committee would continue to hold public institutions accountable for the management of government funds.
He stressed that institutions were required to provide relevant financial records and respond to audit queries raised by authorised bodies.
The committee warned that it would not overlook the repeated failure of public officials to honour its invitations or provide documents required for legislative investigations.
It said the rector, bursar and other concerned officials must appear on October 19 to address the outstanding issues, adding that the petitions against the institution’s management would be considered alongside the audit findings and other available records.
