Hundreds of pensioners besiege NUP Headquarters to protest attempt to divide union

Hundreds of pensioners besieged the national headquarters of Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) on Tuesday to protest against the dissolved former executives of the Federal Civil Service Pensioners (FCSP) branch, led by Mr Sunday Omeize, for scheming to polarise the branch and divide the national body, NUP.

Addressing a press conference, the pensioners led by the chairman, Caretaker Committee, FCSP, Comrade Eguaoba Fredrick, disowned the recent activities of the already dissolved Omeize-led Exco, adding that their intention, actions and inaction were to create a crisis in the branch and the national body in order to break away from the NUP.

“Their intention is to divide the NUP and break away. They are not representing the Federal Pensioners, all they are after is check-off dues. Just seven members of that executive and some of their kangaroo units heads purported to have put in place themselves,” Comrade Eguaoba said.

The highest decision-making body of NUP, the National Delegates’ Congress (NDC) had dissolved the executive of the FCSP branch for anti-party activities and gross misconduct, which are clearly against the constitution of the union during the National Delegates Conference held recently in Abuja.

While discarding as force the pronouncement by the dissolved EXCO, that the FSCP has become a new union and already break away from the NUP, he called on all federal pensioners to stay in the NUP.

Comrade Eguaoba said the dissolved Comrade Omeiza led-EXCO decision does not reflect the position of all Federal Pensioners, saying that this was 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 has resulted to cheap blackmail of the NUP as a result of decision 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.

“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.

According to him, they had never fought for the rights of pensioners and had never even written any official correspondence on behalf of pensioners to benefit them.

Rather, he stated that the dissolved EXCO wrote 52 petitions in all to different government agencies and parastatals but cannot point out to a single letter written in the interest of the members.

“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 assured that there is no crisis between the NUP and the Federal Pensioners, saying that the so-called breakaway union are only a little fraction of “selfish” Federal pensioners who only care about themselves.

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