By Cross Udo, Abuja
The non-remittance of check-off dues is trying to tear apart pensioners as the Federal Civil Service Pensioners Branch (FCSPB) has petitioned the President of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, seeking his intervention in the alleged constitutional crisis rocking the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP).
The FCSPB, in the letter dated June 29, 2024, and signed by its National Secretary, Christian Azunna, said the intervention has become necessary given the abuse of the NUP’s constitution by its national leadership.
It alleged that contrary to the constitution, the NUP leadership has been illegally withholding its statutory check-off dues since 2022, thus preventing it from running its activities smoothly.
FCSPB, which is an affiliate of NUP, said the National Industrial Court judgment on April 17, 2024, which compelled the former to release its withheld dues had not been respected.
However, it alleged that NUP constituted an illegal caretaker committee, headed by some dissidents to run a parallel group.
It appealed to the NLC president to quickly wade into the matter by calling the NUP national leadership to order.
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*As pensioners union writes NLC, accuses NUP of constitutional breach
Azunna alleged that several appeals the FCSPB had made to the Minister of Labour and Employment and the NLC leadership for their mediation were frustrated by the NUP.
The letter read in part, “It has become necessary to draw the attention of the President to the several cases of abuse of the constitution of the NUP by the NHQ of the same union, which has led to a serious constitutional crisis, as a result of the misapplication of the National Industrial Court (NIC) judgment as delivered by His Lordship, Justice O.Y Anuwe.
“Let it be recalled that we have made several representations to the Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment and the NLC, over this matter, which prompted the mediation of both authorities, but unfortunately, all the attempts of the Ministry and your office to conciliate the matter were frustrated by the NUP, as the NUP rejected and refused to obey the counsels of the both authorities, even going to the extent of retorting at a point that the NUP is not an appendage of the Ministry and the NLC, and that the union was not under any obligation to obey the instructions of any of the institutions.
“It was at that juncture, that the headquarters in collaboration with her agents advised us to go to court if we were not satisfied with the treatment, they meted to us.
“Consequent upon the recalcitrance of the NUP, there was no other option left, but to seek legal intervention and adjudication, which culminated in a suit at the National Industrial Court, Suit No. NICN/ABJ/220/2022, after the NUP thwarted all the efforts of the Ministry and NLC.
“To this effect, the court gave judgment on the case on Wednesday, 17th April 2024,
“Unfortunately, the NUP has once again deliberately decided to arbitrarily indulge in irregularities in the implementation of the court judgment, for the singular fact that the National Secretariat of the NUP exercises total control of the funds of the FCSPB, which it leverages on, to subvert the course of justice against the FCSPB.”
FCSPB faulted the constitution of a caretaker committee by NUP to run its affairs when the court, in its judgment, declared that the tenure of the executives had expired, but not dissolved on account of contravention of the constitution.
“We hereby call for a thorough investigation of the circumstances behind the appointment of a caretaker committee, as well as the choice of Mr Fredrick Eguaoba as the chairman of the committee, because he was the same person appointed as the chairman of the discredited and illegal caretaker committee in 2021, as viewed and upheld by relevant authorities.
“We humbly appeal to the president, to appraise the entire circumstances, as we also seek your compassionate assistance and intervention to call the NUP to order to respect the constitution of the union and desist from further suppressing the FCSPB, considering the fact of our elderly, feeble and vulnerable disposition, which the cabal at the national secretariat of the NUP exploit to annihilate us.”
But reacting to the allegations, the NUP said it has not carried out its mandate outside the constitution.
Speaking through its General Secretary, Mr Bunmi Ogunkolade, NUP described as false all the allegations levelled against it by the affiliate body.
“The people who wrote the letter you are referring to are no longer executive members of the Federal Civil Service Pensioners Branch, their tenure has since expired in 2022. They are impostors.
“We have a caretaker committee running the affairs of FCSPB and they have not been denied their check-off dues. We release their dues to them as of when due. The NUP has never gone against the constitution while carrying out its work,” he insisted.
