Group seeks FG’s intervention in NIFOR’s leadership crisis

In a bid to avoid total breakdown of law and order that might impact the oil palm industry, the Edo Unity League has appealed to the Federal Government to wade into the leadership crisis rocking the Nigerian Institute for Oil Palm Research (NIFOR), Benin City, Edo State.

In a letter addressed to the Minister of Agriculture and Food security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, the Coordinator General of the league, Prof Akenuwa Obarogi, called for immediate intervention in the leadership crisis plaguing the institute these past years, to avoid any impasse in the agribusinesss sector.

Obarogie, who recalled series of court judgments in favour of Director/Chief Executive, Dr. Napoleon Aisueni, since 2017, however, regretted that some people have continued to undermine the rule of law and ethics of appointment in the civil service as it concerns NIFOR.

He pointed out that “advertisements and interviews earlier conducted were done without regard to due process and therefore invalidated by pending court injunctions,” adding that “appointments cannot be made on that selection process until the court cases are concluded and a selection process initiated when the seat is unencumbered. This is consistent with the spirit and letters of all subsisting judgments by various courts of competent jurisdiction in the matter.”

He added that Aisueni, an Edo man, who was appointed as the Director/Chief Executive in year 2017, was prevented from running his term even after the court judgment in his favour. The law court had declared his appointment proper.

Obarogi alleged that the Federal Ministry of Agriculture appealed that judgment, which till date, has not been set aside. He stated that, “Court judgment in favour of Dr Napoleon Osasuyi Aisueni in which his appointment vide letter No. Agr/B03/1/156 of 9/11/2017 as Director/Chief Executive of NIFOR was upheld and declared proper, valid, and still stands by the National Industrial Court in suite No. NICN/BEN/24/2017 has not been set aside till date.”

This judgment was appealed by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security in suit No. CA/AL/72/2019 still pending at the Federal Court of Appeal, Akure. “Appointing a substantive Director/Chief Executive indicates that Suit No. CA/Al/72/2019 has been set aside by the Ministry; an action we consider prejudicial and in complete violation of the rule of law.

“Dr Napoleon O. Aisueni may not be desirous anymore of occupying the position, but his case at the courts should be officially processed, and necessary settlement reached between the parties. It is unlawful for the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food security to roughshod court processes with impunity in a government that proclaims respect for the rule of law in all its administrative activities.”

Obarogie explained that the Benin National Congress (BNC) worldwide, as well as the United Patriots Assembly of Nigeria (UPAN) are joint defendants and respondents in some of the above cases because of the need to guarantee a peaceful operating environment in NIFOR.