AS the Nigeria Civil Service Union (NCSU) holds its National Executive Council (NEC) tomorrow, Wednesday, September 29, 2021, to deliberate on the alleged retirement of its National President from federal service and take decision that will steer the union away from further crisis, three members of the union have submitted petitions to Nigeria’s anti-corruption agencies to investigate and possibly prosecute union’s embattled President, Comrade Lawrence Amaechi.
National Record gathered that members of both the National Administrative Council (NAC) of the union and the NEC started arriving Abuja Monday amidst intense politicking within and outside the union, involving veterans of the union and the leadership of the national secretariat of the Nigeria labour Congress (NLC).
While majority of the veterans of the NCSU are said to be in support of the exit of Comrade Amaechi in the event that his retirement from federal service is proven beyond any reasonable doubt, the top leadership at the NLC headquarters are believed to have lined up behind an agenda to see the NCSU President serving out his tenure come January-March 2022, and Vice President of the NLC until NLC’s February/April 2023 delegates conference.
A former National Trustee of the union, Comrade (Alhaji) Ade Adebakin, told our correspondent that with the exception of those who are directly benefiting from the leadership of Comrade Amaechi, no member of the NCSU, including the veterans, is in support of his (President) staying a day longer in office after his retirement.
Comrade Adebakin said the union, being the oldest in Nigeria, has both men and women of character to lead it to greatness beyond what he described as “the current impunity and poor leadership.”
The petitions
In the petitions to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), the three signatories to the petition who are members of the NCSU; Comrades Theresa A. Abraham of the Federal Ministry of Justice, Benson Ekasa of the Directorate of Technical Cooperation in Africa, and Adulazeez Aliyu of the Ministry of Works and Housing asked the anti-graft agencies to “investigate the activities of the purported National President” of the NCSU who they alleged “has illegally occupied the office even after the declaration of the National Industrial Court nullifying the election that brought him to power.”
Copies of the petitions, obtained by National Record from two independent sources at the Wuse Zone 6, Abuja National Secretariat of the NCSU, dated September 13, 2021, were also served the union’s two Deputy Presidents, Comrades Jibril Bancir and Oluwole Sunday Adeleye, the Chairman of Forum of State Council Chairmen of the union, Comrade Kabiru Inuwa, and NCSU’s General Secretary, Comrade Bomoi Mohammed Ibraheem, as well as the Federal Council of NCSU.
Entiled: “Re: Investigation in Respect of the Retirement of the Purported National President of Nigeria Civil Service Union (Com. Lawrence Uchechwukwu Amaechi) From the Federal Service,” the signatories prayed the anti-graft agencies to, in addition to investigating the activities of the NCSU President, ensure that he does not parade himself as the union with effect from 9th September, 2021, or does not have access to the bank accounts of the union with effect from 9th September, 2021.
“That, the Chairman of the Commission use his good office to ensure the following:
“That, Com. Amaechi Lawrence Uchechukwu stop parading himself as the National President of the Union w.e.f 9th September, 2021;
“Ensure that, Com Amaechi Lawrence Uchechukwu does not have access to the Account of the Union w.e.f. 9th September, 2021;” the petition reads.
They petitioners also, among other prayers, asked the ICPC and the EFCC to place “a ‘No Debit Order’…on the following accounts of the union – Access Bank Plc; Account Number 0798691187; 0806608347 and Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, Account Number 0264323757;
“That, Com. Amaechi Uchechukwu Lawrence, The General Secretary of the Union and any other officials of the Union be liable for every financial transactions and be made to pay back from 9th of September, 2021;
“That all properties belonging to the Union (including the vehicles, Bank Tokens and other valuables) be retrieved from Com. Amaechi Lawrence Uchechukwu immediately.”
While asking that other elected officials of the union at both the federal and state levels who have retired from service should no longer be recognised, the petitioners also asked the anti-graft agencies to stop Comrade Amaechi from parading himself as President of the union or the Vice President of the NLC since its plea to the NLC to do so has as gone unheeded.
They enjoined the ICPC and the EFCC to prosecute Comrade Amaechi if “found wanting for any offence” as they alleged that “the finances of the Union has [sic] been solely managed by this illegal occupant of the union despite every effort to stop him from doing so.”
Giving a background to their petitions, the signatories noted that they wrote the petitions against the backdrop of the prolonged litigation in the union.
They wrote: “Following prolonged litigation faced by the Union as a result of some greed for power and desire to change the constitution of the Union in order to suit selfish interest by some officials of the Union, the Commission’s attention and urgent need to act is hereby requested.
“The Commission may also be guided by the provision [sic] of the constitution of the Union (The NCSU) that:
“Membership of the Union shall be drawn from Public Service of the Federation and States (Rule 4(a(i));
“Membership if the Union is provided for under item 19 of part B of the third schedule to the Trade Unions Act to be made up of all workers of the Federal and States Governments….(see page 23, paragragh 45 Final Judgement of the case between Com. Benson Ekasa & 1 Or. Vs Com. Kiri Mohammed & 2 Ors);
“A member shall pay his/her contribution to the funds of the Union regularly (Rule 4(c)(i)) Constitution of the NCSU;
“A member shall pay his/her check-off dues….of his/her basic salary….(Rule 5(a)i) Constitution of the NCSU;
“The Commission is also furnished with the following that came from the litigation:
“The election that Com. Amaechi claimed brought him as the President of the Union was nullified by the Nationl Industrial Court in one of its Ruling [sic] in 2018. (See page 3, Order 1 of the Ruling of November 1st, 2018; the case between Com. Benson Ekasa & 1 Or. Vs Com. Kiri Mohammed & 2 Ors);
“Paragraph 48, page 25 of the Final Judgement of the National Industrial Court on the 25th Day of October, 2019, between Com. Benson Ekasa & 1 Or Vs. Com. Kiri Mohammed & 2 Ors., the court ruled that…“iv. An order is hereby made for the 3rd Defendant not to recognize and register any amendment of the Constitution of the 2nd Defendant in order to allow any official of the 2nd Defendant after his or her due retirement from the Civil Service of Nigeria, whether State or Federal...” [their emphasis]
The signatories further argued that “It is a known fact that, the Public Service Rules (PSR 020810 (i-iii) provides the retirement age in the Civil Service to be 35 years of Service or 60 years of age depending on which comes first.
“In this case, Com. Com. Amaechi Lawrence Uchechukwu is affected by the former provision. For the avoidance of doubt, the following documents is [sic] hereby attached to this memo for the ease of action and as proof to the above issues:
“Federal Government Official Gazette showing the confirmation date of Com. Amaechi Lawrence Uchechukwu;
“Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Water Resources and Rural Development Offer of Appointment in favour of Com. Amaechi Lawrence Uchechukwu dated 8th September, 1986.
“A copy of Com. Amaechi Lawrence Uchechukwu Salary payment slip showing his date of appointment and his IPPIS number; (this will aid verification of his details if the need arises from the IPPIS platform where all Civil Servants belong);
“A copy of the public Service Rules;
“A copy of the NCSU Constitution;
“A copy of the acknowledgement letter to both the General Secretary of the NCSU and the President of the NLC.”
ICPC responds
When contacted Tuesday evening for its comments on the petition, an official of the ICPC who received the call made through one of its toll free mobile lines, said if the copy in National Record’s possession is acknowledged, it must have reached the commission.
“If is acknowledged, it will be taken to the Chairman and from there it will be sent for legal opinion. The petitioner will be contacted once the petition is assigned for investigation. The petition has to go through certain processes before the petitioner contacted,” the lady who received the call told National Record.
Efforts to reach the EFCC proved abortive as calls to its hotlines failed. An email sent to the commission was not responded to as at press time.
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