From Adanna Nnamani, Abuja
Corruption accusations and leadership crisis appear to be tearing apart members of the Federal Civil Service Pensioners Branch (FCSPB) of Nigerian Union of Pensioners (NUP).
While FCSPB Chairman, Sunday Omezi, recently accused its mother union, NUP, of refusing to remit entitled checkoff dues totalling N200 million to his branch coffers, some members of the same branch have refuted the claims, saying it was false.
The group, Concerned Federal Civil Service Pensioners Stakeholders, under the leadership of Ahmed Lawal, and Ignatius Godfrey Uzormah, however, alleged the Omezi-led leadership was guilty of gross mismanagement of their branch’s funds even as they expressed displeasure over the accusation of NUP of withholding FCSPB money.
They alleged Omezi’s tenure of office has long expired, and he had no right to demand or receive funds on behalf of the branch.
“Omezi is full of heresy and fallacy, he laboured hard to tarnish the good name of NUP to score cheap point. For this reason, we are compelled to make this rejoinder to clear the ground on his effort to misinform the public, and to put the records straight. Be informed that Omezi is no longer the national chairman of the Federal Civil Service Branch of NUP as he claimed, his tenure of office has expired since July 17, 2022. He is, therefore, an impostor by claiming to be the national chairman.
“NUP cannot, therefore, continue to pay the monthly dues to the defunct executive, led by Omezi having expended his tenure of office. While we prepared to hold election in July 2022, but the same Omezi and his team took the NUP to court to obtain an injunction against the holding of the election after he and his team collected N9.6 million to conduct the said election.
“As we speak today, the matter is still pending at the National Industrial Court (NIC), Abuja. How then do you adjudicate over a matter that is pending in court?
“His action is, therefore, an affront on our collective sensibilities as members of the Federal Civil Service Pensioners branch and an affront on the Institution of Judiciary. Omezi should stop parading himself as the national chairman of Federal Civil Service Branch henceforth, until new election is held to fill the vacant positions or should be charged for contempt of court,” the group said.
Concerning FCSPB funds, the leadership of the group said: “Stakeholders request Omezi to account for N38.9 million, being the arrears of consequential adjustment windfall which up till today, he has been unable to do so.
“Also, N256 million has been given to Omezi’s team by NUP as accumulated check-off dues since 2018 till date, of which he has failed to account for. This is against Rule 28(h) of NUP’s constitution on stewardship accountability.”
“The issue of N200 million he mentioned in his address, this money is not his personal money, it belongs to all Federal Civil Service branch. However, the matter is before the NIC which was initiated by Omezi and his team as plaintiffs. It is therefore prejudicial for Omezi to bring this matter to the public domain at this point in time.”