From Benjamin Babine

Following earlier reports that Federal Civil Service Pensioners (FCSP) are exiting the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), another faction of federal pensioners have discarded the newly formed union, urging all federal pensioners to stay in the NUP.
Addressing journalists on Tuesday, the Chairman of the Federal Civil Service Pensioners Branch of the NUP, Comrade Eguaoba Frederick, said the breakaway led by Comrade Omeiza Sunday doesn’t reflect the position of all Federal Pensioners. He said it is not in the interest of all federal pensioners, and was selfishly motivated.
He said: “It is highly incredible and most astonishing to read with utmost dismay
about a publication by a dissolved EXCO led by Mr. Sunday Omeize who have resulted to cheap blackmail of the NUP as a result of descision taken against him and his former EXCOs after dissolution by the National Delegates Conference (NDC) in session on 22nd of April, 2021 at NAF Conference Centre Abuja, due to gross misconduct and anti-union activities capable of bringing the good name of the union into disrepute.
“The defunct EXCO, like a drowning man, had been trying relentlessly to pull
down the NUP because of their dissolution. Their action is like a case of calling a dog a bad name in order to hang it. NUP is performing Creditably well. To put the records straight, retirees of the Federal Civil Service branch have not and do not intend to opt out of NUP to register another trade union as claimed by the dissolved and disgruntled EXCOs of the Federal Civil Service Branch.”
He accused the Omeize-led EXCOs of working only for their “egocentric, parochial and selfish interests,” while ignoring the plight and agony of the pensioners in Nigeria. He said they had never fought for the rights of pensioners and had never even written any official corespondence on behalf of pensioners.
“The Sacked Officers breached several provisions of NUP constitution with reckless impunity. They have no interest of pensioners at heart as earlier stated, their sole interest was the struggle for the collection of Check-off dues which was only used to serve their personal interests. In spite of the colossal amount received by them as check-off dues for over two and half years they have practically nothing to show for their several monthly collections,” he said.
He went on to reassure that theres no crisis between the NUO and Federal Pensioners, saying that the so-called breakaway union are only a little fraction of “selfish” Federal pensioners who only care about themselves.