FCT NUJ reports ex-Chairmen, Ogbeche, Osadebamwen, others, to EFCC 

The Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Federal Capital Territory [FCT] Council, Abuja, has dragged some of its former officials through the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for continued refusal to hand over the union’s assets and liabilities in the hands of their defunct leadership.

The Secretary of Council, Comrade Jide Oyekunle disclosed this to newsmen in Abuja at a World Press Conference on the findings of a Probe Panel constituted on the administration of the past executive and the resolution of the Union at its Congress held last Saturday in Abuja.

According the Secretary of the Council, those dragged through the EFCC as directed by the Congress are: “Comrade Emmanuel Ogbeche – a former Chairman and now a Special Adviser to the Governor of Cross River State, Abuja and Editor Abuja Inquirer Newspaper;

“Patrick Osadebamwen, the immediate past Chairman and a staff of the Nigeria Tribune Newspaper; and,

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“Ochiaka Ugwu, former secretary or the council and a staff of the Peoples Daily Newspaper.”

The Secretary of the Council further added that the Congress also resolved “that the affected former officials

should stop the impersonation of the current executive of the NUJ FCT Council forthwith, and as a matter of urgency and necessity should hands off the signatory of the councils two UBA Bank Naira Account Number 1022765326, 1014057659 with the account name Nigeria Union of Journalists and Dollar Account Number: 300294 1904 immediately.

● That the NUJ FCT Council does not recognize Mrs. Gloria Essien as its representative (ex-officio) at the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) FCT Council and should stop the impersonation forthwith.

● The Nigerian government, Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) corporate bodies, individuals and diplomatic community, and the public should not transact any business with these fellows forthwith. Anybody that does any business with them in the name of the Nigeria Union of Journalists FCT Council does so at his/her own risk as they are no longer the officials of the union and cannot represent the council in any capacity.

● That the United Bank for Africa (UBA) and other banks should not in anyway conspire or connive with these fellows as the council is doing everything possible to correct the infractions and misdemeanours of the past executive of the council.

● That the council should issue a disclaimer in the media over the heist committed by these former executive to ensure that the public are not falling victims to their ignoble act.

● The council should formally write to their employers and bring to their notice the report of the committee that indicted them and the resolution of the congress.

Also speaking, the Chairman of the Panel, Comrade Tony Akowe, said that his Committee investigated the financial activities of the immediate past leadership of the council as constituted by the congress in session

According to him, “The committee held a series of meetings with a view to getting the required information to work with. The only important document the committee got was the audited financial report of the first tenure of the Emmanuel Ogbeche led leadership of the council as well as some transactional information from the tenant occupying the white house building

He added that the committee called for the hand over notes of the Patrick Osadebamwen led executive, but none was available.and that Personal interaction between some members of the committee with some of the principal officers of the immediate exco also did not yield any result.

According to him, ” during one of such interactions between the Committee Chairman and the immediate past Chairman, he claimed that the documents the committee was asking for were already with the National Secretariat of the Union.

” So, the committee contacted the EXCO with a view to getting the documents from the National Secretary. In his response to inquiry by Secretary of Council, the National Secretary denied being in possession of the documents saying the Osadebamwen led EXCO did not hand over any to them.

” While studying the audited financial report available, the committee discovered a number of anomalies. First, sources of income, especially in the area of rent between 2018 when the EXCO was elected and inaugurated and the end of the first tenure in 2021, were not disclosed. Rather, income was lumped together, making it difficult to determine who paid what and who did not pay.

” For example, the report indicated that rent collected within the period amounted to N33 million. In view of the fact that there are several tenants, a breakdown of who paid this N33 million, and for what period was not disclosed in the document. Also, the report had it that check off dues of N220,000 was paid within the period without stating who paid the check off, especially when considered against the backdrop that another line item on the report suggested that there was chapel remittances of N392,000. Donations of N7.2 million were said to have been received without stating the source of the donation.