Ngige faults Falana, denies resigning, demands retraction

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige has denied ever resigning his appointment to contest the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primary.

The statement by Ngige’s media office read in part: “Dear Femi Falana (SAN), you conjured a resignation letter, hung it on Senator Chris Ngige and went to town with it. That is very bad. How a senior lawyer descended to this trade in falsehood and phantom benumbed.

“You went ahead to extrapolate legal opinion not necessary for reproduction here. However, the problem is that when there is so much haste to find fault and condemn, fidelity to facts and details is lost and the society suffers on account of this. We pray you fall no further to this demeaning situation.

“Get your facts right sir. First is that the Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, neither authored nor submitted resignation letter to the President or “any other person authorized” by him. Therefore, the resignation letter you referred to does not exist.

“In fact, the circular of May 11, 2022 from the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, gave on or before Monday May 16, 2022 as the terminal date for submission of resignation letters, not just for ministers but for all political appointees of the Federal Government.

“In deed as explained in the press statement of May 13, 2022, personally signed by the Minister of Labour and Employment; he had an audience with President Muhammadu Buhari on May 11, 2022 and followed it up with another on May 13, 2022. In none of these occasions was resignation letter tendered.”

Ngige submitted that the well-considered decision to withdraw from the 2023 presidential race followed consultations with unnamed groups of family, constituents, supporters and well-wishers.

The minister maintained that he did not officially express interest to contest the party’s presidential primary by filling and returning his expression of interest/nomination form.

He added that though his supporters had taxed themselves to procure the forms for him, and he did not fill nor return them to the party.

“So, where is this resignation of appointment as the Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment coming from? We hence request that you effect the necessary correction within 48 hours as a check on the wrong impression your position has created before the public,” he said.