Dr. Omanhe Phillipa Idogho prides herself as the first female rector of the Federal Polytechnic in Auchi, Edo State. True to type her admirers credit her with a lot of firsts. For instance, she is the first rector to break the jinx over the conduct of convocations in the institution. Before her intervention, many graduates of the polytechnic had for decades had graduated without being offered their diploma certificates or statements of result.
Again, Dr. Idogho also changed the way teachers handle students’ examination scripts and ensured that results were released as soon as students complete the examination processes. She equally tackled the issue of cultism in the institution. She said she was able to achieve this by sending some student union leaders abroad for leadership and security training. Students were also given orientation on the dangers of cultism. Several millions of naira, according to the rector, were spent to achieve this purpose. 
Dr. Idogho was also credited with soaring up the internally generated revenue, IGR, and prudent management of the finances of the polytechnic. This has helped the institution to embark on various projects, which included renovation of buildings on campus II, to prepare the institution for possible upgrade to a University of Technology.  “When I came on board I met huge debts both to the banks and to contractors. What you have seen today is through prudent management. We have used part of IGR funds for projects. In 2008, we paid N80 million to contractors. The IGR funds are generated from fees paid to the School of Evening Studies.
 “Our students are doing very well now because of the quality of staff they now have. I have a part to play in history and I need to play it well.
I deliberately created campus II for possible upgrade to university of technology. Our main challenge is finance,” the rector noted recently. 
Ordinarily these achievements are enough to silent even the greatest critic of the rector and secure her a second term in office. But this was not the case. There have been a number of petitions to the authorities that Dr. Idogho wants to impose herself on the institution. A lecturer in the polytechnic, Friday Idugie recently accused the outgoing rector of falsifying his age. In a petition to the federal ministry of education, Abuja, the National Board for Technical Education, NBTE, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC and the Independent Corrupt Practice and other related offences Commission, ICPC, the petitioner asked the authorities to demand for the employment files of Idogho. He added that the rector’s action in falsifying her age is part of her desperate bid to remain in the services of the institution whereas she is overdue for retirement and added that the nodal office of the National Pensions Commission, NPC was aware of the ugly
development at the polytechnic. Idugie argued that if the matter was left unchecked it could destabilise academic activities in the institution. He described as worrisome the forced retirement of Dr Idogho’s contemporaries from the service of the polytechnic on the orders of the rector “in connivance with the current registrar, Dr. Ashiokpelokhai (then deputy registrar, senior staff establishments).” 
According to Idugie, “the records of Auchi Polytechnic shows Dr. Phillipa Omanhe Idogho’s date of birth as November 29, 1957, which she has changed to November 29, 1959 in her current curriculum vitae, CV and her appointment date simply stated as 1983 without any further details as stated in her CV.” This magazine gathered that all those who joined the service with the rector have retired from service after putting in mandatory 35 years in service. 
An ethnic association, Auchi Youths for Change, AYC, has queried the extended management committee, EMC, of the polytechnic, for recommending a second tenure for Idogho amidst allegation of her falsification of date of employment into the institution. In a petition to President Goodluck Jonathan, signed by its chairman, Zakari Oloriebi, the group faulted the disregard of due diligence in the appointment of the rector of Auchi polytechnic. It pointed out that the provision for advertisement for vacancy in at least three national dailies three months to the expiration of the tenure of the current rector was ignored by the polytechnic and the federal ministry of education, and argued that the two external members of the EMC (minister of education and the NBTE representatives) attended the meeting of the body for the first time when the decision to recommend the rector for a second tenure in office was taken. “One wonders why the minister’s and NBTE’s representatives should join in recommending a rector of an institution when they are yet to get familiar with its operations and processes. Secondly, why should the present rector encourage a bypass of due process? We hope all is well or maybe the minister needs to look at the school critically or closely for people of impeccable character,” the group noted and hoped that “the minister cannot be used for selfish and personal interest by the current rector.” The AYC expressed worry at the minister’s “hurried recommendation to the president for approval, as we are aware there are several unresolved issues in the polytechnic.” 
Dr. Idogho is expected to start her second tenure in March if President Jonathan approves the recommendation of the board.

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