BY OUR CORRESPONDENT
Abuja
Aggrieved members of National Union of Agricultural and Allied Employees (NUAAE) on Tuesday staged a peaceful protest against the continues stay in office of an alleged suspended National President of the union, Comrade Simon Anchaver.
Speaking to Journalists in Abuja, the National Treasurer of NUAAE, Comrade Obafemi Oyenubi said ” we came here to conduct our meeting at the National Secretariat but we discovered that the policemen that are here don’t want to allow us to enter saying that they haven’t receive a Directive about our coming and immediately we received invitation from the area commandant which we obliged to and he advised us to be law abiding which are used to doing.
According to him the Area Police Command reschedule their meeting with the Anchaver group to 5th May, 2023 to find lasting solution to the lingering crisis.
He said ” our demand is that Comr. Anchaver is on suspension therefore he dares not parade himself to conduct meeting of this union longer. And beside he’s a retiree from Benue state therefore we’ll not accept him as our leader any more and also to allow us use our offices at the headquarters.
According to him the Federal Ministry of Agriculture is aware of the lingering crisis in the union as they have their delegates from there too.
In a related Development, Comr. Oyenubi that he (Anchaver) has written illegal letter terminating the leadership of Kwara state Executives of Lower Niger Rivers Basin Development Authority which is against the rules and regulations stipulated in their union constitution.
He has appealed to the relevant authorities to disregard and reverse such purported letter arguing that Comr. Anchaver is suspended therefore he doesn’t not have legal right to write the management of the Basin in ilorin, kwara state capital.
On his part, the Acting President of NUAAE, Comrade Comrade Aniedi Ekpo said ” the crisis rocking the union can just be summarised as selfishness and greed by the National President of the union, Cmr. Anchaver who was suspended since Dec 4th, 2021 but he still holds unto power with some individuals he can manipulate their benefits.
“In so doing he’s bringing down the reputation of the union however we’re moving forward with legal backup to show up that we’re sincere in this course.
He stressed that they expecting Comr. Anchaver will be in the next meeting next month for them to resolve the crisis.
Also speaking, the Chairman of Lower Niger Rivers Basin Forum, Comrade Mudi Olayinka said ” the issue started last year where we made corruption allegations against the Management of lower Niger Rivers Basin Development Authority Ilorin.
” the forum made and we reported to the Ministry of water resources on mismanagement of the Managing Director but the Ministry failed to do the needful.
He noted that comrade Anchaver had invited him on the issue which he explained to him and the next step was a letter suspending him which is against their constitution.
Several calls and texts messages sent to the contact of Comrade Anchaver at the time of filing this report was not responded to.
The highlights of the meeting was that the aggrieved members of the union were seen chanting solidarity songs at the front of their headquarters at Gwagwalada Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory ( FCT) Abuja.
