Opinion
CRISIS AND FLYING COURT ORDERS: IS WIKE ACTUALLY IN CONTEMPT?
By Adekola Omoluabi with additional reports from Bamidele Akinol a Ogundana
The controversy bugging the FCTA-owned company, Abuja markets management Limited [AMML] has continued unabated, culminating in the shutdown of its corporate Head office at Gudu District, Abuja on Friday 10th November, 2023.
A detachment of the Nigeria Police Force reportedly sealed up the Adisa Plaza Office of the Market Managers early morning on Friday, allegedly under the directives of the Hon. Minister FCT, Barr. Nyesom Wike.
Wike was said to have directed one Abubakar Usman Faruk to vacate the office of the Managing Director, AMML and stop parading himself as the MD/CEO of the company having been effectively relieved of that duty since July 17, 2023 by the shareholders of AMML.
Faruk obviously refused to heed the Hon. Minister’s advice, hence the police action, which was based on security reports alleging that Faruk posted private security guards heavily armed in the Head office in a bid to resist any attempt to ward him off. It would be recalled also, that the FCT minister had late September 2023, announced the removal of 21 heads of departments, Agencies and Government-owned Companies including that of Abuja Markets Management Limited.
Out of all, only Abubakar Faruk reportedly refused to hand over to the most senior office in the establishment as directed by the minister. He had claimed that there was an order of court restraining the Minister or anyone else from removing him as the Managing Director.
In a news report in the Daily Post of November 8, 2023, it was alleged that the National Industrial Court in Abuja on Wednesday “began contempt proceedings” against the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike and others over the alleged disregard of a series of court orders.
This development, it was reported,’ was sequel to the decision of the Minister to include the Managing Director Abuja Markets Management Limited (AMML), in the list of heads of agencies dissolved on September 27’.
Speaking on the reported “contempt proceedings”, the Company Secretary/Legal Adviser, Abuja Markets Management Limited Mr. Onya Nsor Ojiji in a statement said that the contempt proceeding could only exist in the imagination of its authors.
Mr. Ojiji stated ” categorically that there is no such contempt procedding against the FCT Minister or any other AICL/AMML staff at the National Industrial Court as the suit referred to in the publication has been assigned to another Judge and will start afresh(de novo)”.
The embattled former MD is therefore expected to either give the lie to the Company Secretary’s claim by pushing through the contempt proceeding to its logical conclusion, or save the FCT Administration and the Abuja Market Community further embarrassment.
Before the alleged “contempt proceedings”, Abubakar Faruk, having “sacked” all AMML staff opposed to his continued stay, had approached a Chief Magistrate court to among others give an order declaring their operations as AMML staff unlawful.
Interestingly, the Wuse Magistrate Court presided over by His Worship Huzaifa Maccido on November 2, 2023 dismissed the case.
In dismissing the case, the Court seemed to have affirmed that Mr. Abubakar Faruk has been properly relieved of his duties as the MD/CEO of AMML.
Part of the ruling reads thus: “the purported letter of dismissal attached by the Complainant/ Respondent as EXHIBIT AMML A is dated 31st Day of July, 2023 while the signatory to the letter who is one Abubakar Usman Faruk sacked by the owners of the Complainant vide EXHIBIT 4 attached by the Defendants/Objectors. The said EXHIBIT 4 is dated 17th July, 2023. I agree that as at the time the 4th defendant was purportedly sacked, Mr. Abubakar Usman Faruk had no power to do so having being sacked on 17/7, 2023”, the ruling continued.
It would be recalled that Abubakar Usman Faruk was appointed the MD/CEO of Abuja Markets Management Limited in April 2009. He was redeployed following allegations of involvement in the scandalous informal market project in Area 10(UTC) transit way, the allegations bordered on lack of approval for the development on a rail transit way and illegal sale of the stalls by the former MD.
Though on redeployment away from AMML, Faruk reportedly drew his full salaries and allowances from AMML as Managing Director including upfront allowances up until July 2023 when he was reportedly fired by the Company’s shareholders.
Appointed by the then Minister, Adamu Aliero, Faruk had gone to court 14 years after to challenge the power of a Minister to redeploy him, citing the provisions of Company and Allied Matters ACT, 2020.
The Federal High Court, Abuja had ruled that the redeployment was not done in line with CAMA provisions thereby pronouncing him as both the MD/CEO as well as a Director. Armed with this order but without due process, Faruk had reportedly embarked on self-help to take over the office of the MD/CEO of AMML and had continued to use same to keep himself on the seat until this recent seal up.
Not minding his base approach, the Company owners ensured that Faruk was duly and effectively relieved of his job when the shareholders in an extraordinary General Meeting July 17,2023 fired him for “services no longer required”.
This he still challenged, making stakeholders wonder if Faruk is a shareholder in AMML. If he is not, can he impose himself on his employers? they ask. A search at CAC reveals that Faruk is NOT a shareholder of AMML and cannot remain the Managing Director having been removed by the shareholders. His position as MD/CEO is one of employment as a staff of the company subject to its conditions of service, which allow him to be removed anytime his services are no longer required. The legal position and trite law is that no Court can impose an employee on an unwilling employer.
Keen observers are of the view that instead of being grateful for an uncommon opportunity, the very long stay apparently had a negative impact of entitlement on Mr. Faruk.
It can’t be said that Faruk has been fair to the FCT Administration and Company that gave him an uncommon opportunity of close to 15 years tenure. His last days can only be said to be hurting to the FCT. He only succeeded in building strife and giving bad publicity to a hitherto relatively unknown Government- owned Company, whilst obstructing work flow.
It is however believed among close watchers that Faruk’s rare luck as the longest serving FCT appointee may turn into a misfortune should the administration decide to probe his years as the Chief Executive of the Market Management Company.
SIDEBAR
There is something common in politics and with Politicians in this clime, it stems from the arrogance of power, it stinks to high heavens, it is shit in its worst form; that a few men and women play God, they assume that their egocentric predilections represent the collective will, and they undermine the Law as well as the mindset of the electorate. They move to Party B with the mandate given to Party A by the People. And they Cross-carpet or decamp to another Party without deference to the provisions of the Law.
Just yesterday the entire Political Structure in my home State of Delta was led by the State Governor Mr. Sheriff Oborevwori from the Peoples Democratic Party PDP to the All Progressive Congress APC, that tsunami of sorts happened without firm reasons but the usual refrain that ‘they want to align with the centre for more democratic dividends to come to the State’. I wouldn’t have opted to do this piece had the All Progressive Congress APC made great feats of the States under its watch, alas President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (PBAT) and his followers are masters of deceit, subterfuge and perfidy. They spew soulless propaganda, having no soul they lack moral margins, they lie about everything and they destroy the moral fabrics of our nation. They are shameless, spineless and have no scruples.
Where is the Soul of the men of power who dumped the PDP just yesterday for the APC in Delta State? They have chosen to stand on a Blood Stained Mandate. They have elected a Hunger ridden mandate. They have chosen a corruption riddled mandate. They laud an insecurity enabling mandate. They salute a nepotistic mandate. And they dance to a frustration festering mandate. Had the PBAT led APC at the Centre made Nigeria better than it met her, I would applaud Governor Sheriff and his fellow travelers, but the truth is what consistently the APC, including Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and his men have chosen to trample upon, nay the Truth is that under the PBAT led APC Government, Nigeria is today worse than it was yesterday.
What logic situates the movement of the Delta State Political Structures from the PDP to the APC at a time when Nigerians feel the most unsafe in their homeland? When the States of Plateau, Benue and Bornu have become theatres of human barbecues. Is it not stupidity to elect a blood stained and a blood soaked mandate over being in a Party in the opposition?
Is it not a show of shame to elect a mandate that has left the masses of the people in poverty, despondency and want over fueling the fervour of an opposition seeking a new deal and a new Republic of hope for the people? Which sincere and people oriented leader would dump the opposition for a Party that is absolutely rudderless and progressively multiplying poverty? Only the soulless and the shameless, surely.
The fulminating shenanigans that undermine the monstrous corruption of the APC Government, the unending Infrastructural decay, the unhinged failure of the energy and the power sector, the pervasive hunger, disease and pain in the land, and the murderous gangs killing and maiming citizens with reckless abandon defines the Olympic soullessness of the Delta State Political Merchants who have elected a Blood Stained Mandate over matching for the redemption of Nigeria.
I believe that it is manifest stupidity to desert the opposition at a time that our nation is in dire straits and badly craving vibrant opposition. I believe that it is a show of shame to decamp to a Party and a Government that has failed to protect lives and property.
And I hereby lampoon with unbridled vehemence all those who have chosen to stand on the blood stained and blood soaked mandate that PBAT epitomizes.
Hmmm, so suddenly my home State is now APC, interesting. A class of less than 300 people nay ‘leaders’ met at the Government House in Asaba, and in one fell swoop changed the political colour, temperature and identity of the State, interesting. My People, this One-Party State wey APC and PBAT dey push and pursue na to what end? PBAT and his Party the APC through this manifest antics of State capture have tied democracy to the stake, and are daily through acts of impunity, lawlessness, and braggadocio shooting violently at democracy, I pray they do not shoot this jingleover democracy to death. I pray that they understand that One Party State is the precursor to Authoritarian Rule and Dictatorship. And I pray that they are not oblivious of the politico-social tendencies of the Nigerian State, a State that cannot and has never been captured by any one tendency. In any case, before they completely murder democracy, it must be on record that someone warned against the Stupidity, against the Show of Shame and against the Shenanigans of our Political Operators.
Call me names, but let it be on record that when the elders and the hoard of egotistic political merchants that predominate our political kaleidoscope fiddled with the poisoned chalice of sycophancy and hypocrisy, I wasn’t quiet. Let it be on record that when they ate poisoned bread baked with blood stained and blood soaked mandate, and when they chose to dance on the tombs of the dead across our space who were unlived because government failed to protect them, that someone called out the discerning, and warned against the omnious times that they make certain.
The sequel to this patriotic effort shall most certainly tell more, reveal more and foretell the pitfalls that a most arrogant and self-seeking political class weave in the path of our ‘democracy’. We have got some difficult days and difficult times ahead.
Call me the Wailer, that’s ok, for I Wail that Nigeria may become Great.
Prof Chris Mustapha Nwaokobia Jnr
Convener COUNTRYFIRST MOVT. A Good Governance Advocacy Group.
It was the famous American former President, Abraham Lincoln who noted that the people when rightly and fully trusted will return the trust.
Thus, when the trust level gets high enough, people exceed apparent limits, discovering new and awesome abilities of which they were formerly unaware.
When trust is placed on those who occupy public office, they need to work had to continue to justify the trust in the people they preside over.Appointment into office is premised on the facts that the appointee is capable and will be of immense values to the realization of the aspirations of the government in power.
Thus, with the coming of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu into office, series of strategic appointment of respected and credible niger9ians were made thereafter.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had the qualities of appointing the right people in the right position, having judged their qualification and capabilities. This is a unique ability which good leaders to possess in abundance.
It was this sense of judgement that made him to appoint Chief Adegboyega Isiaka Oyetola CON as the current minister of Marine and Blue Economy.He was the former chief of Staff to the former Governor of Osun State and later became the governor of the state.
Whereby he displayed integrity, self-awareness, courage, respect, compassion, and resilience. This role allowed him to exhibit his administrative shrewdness and dedication to the advancement of the state.
During this time, he played a critical role in implementing policies and initiatives aimed at improving education, healthcare, and infrastructure.He was later appointed minister of transportation by President Bola Tinubu on 16 August 2023, but redeployed four days later to the newly created Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy.
Despite the newness of the ministry, his leadership abilities and acumen as well as his professional qualification eminently qualifies him for the arduous job, for he pursued his education with diligence, earning a degree in Applied Accounting from the prestigious University of Lagos.
With a passion for learning and a keen eye for effective management, he embarked on a career that would see him excel in various sectors.
According to the World Bank, the blue economy is the “sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods, and jobs while preserving the health of ocean ecosystem.”
European Commission defines it as “All economic activities related to oceans, seas and coasts, the realization that Nigeria has vast ocean ecosystem justifies the creation of the ministry.
The ministry’s four action pillars for its first four years (2023–2027) are: promoting sustainable blue economy investments; transforming port operations; enhancing port infrastructure; and strengthening blue governance.
Under Oyetola’s leadership, the ministry targets attracting $2 billion in investments in offshore renewable energy by 2025; establishing at least five new fish processing plants by 2025 and at least two new coastal tourism sites by 2026; and creating three million marine and blue economy-related jobs by 2027.
The importance of this ministry lies in the fact that the life of the planet and correct functioning of ecosystem services are sustained by marine ecosystems.
The blue economy thus has the potential to achieve a sustainable development which does not compromise life on Earth tomorrow.
Thus, his appointment eminently justifies and in line with the aspiration s to make Nigeria a great nation.His achievements in office are attributed to maritime security and safety, port operational efficiency, infrastructure rehabilitation, connectivity and blue economy development.
The Minister, who unfolds the strategic plans of the Ministry and the Agencies which would focus on maritime security, safety, ship building & maintenance, maritime governance, port infrastructure rehabilitation, capacity building, among others.
Under his leadership, the Nigeria’s territorial waters became safer especially in the Gulf of Guinea (GoG) in the past one year, with the maritime sector recorded zero incidence of piracy and maritime terrorism for more than one year.
Ports were upgraded and his ministry worked assiduously to actualize the implementation of the National Single Window at the nation’s ports to facilitate trade and competitiveness of country’s port system.
The value his outstanding leadership will also impact on the acceptability and reelection of the present administration in 2027.
We Commend President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on the confidence reposed in and the subsequent Appointment of Chief Gboyega Oyetola as the Minister of the Marine and Blue Economy.
He is honest and transparent in his stronger determination to reposition the sector as the leading source of revenue to the country and will surely do more based on his past robust antecedents. We thus call on all Nigerians to support his vision and pragmatic leadership in the office, so as to enable impact the lives of many more citizens of the country.
Dr K.M.Tugga is an Abuja resident and public affairs commentator
By Rinret Jennifer Mwarap
The unrelenting massacre of citizens in Plateau State has reached an alarming level. While the government claims to be taking steps to restore order, the reality on the ground tells a different story one that feels like nothing meaningful is being done.
It is heartbreaking to see our loved ones butchered without cause. The questions torment us: What have we done wrong? Who have we offended? Where did we go astray? Must we continue to endure this suffering for no justifiable reason?
The killing of innocent people in Plateau must come to an end. The government and security forces cannot afford to look away. Their responsibility is clear they must act swiftly and decisively to bring the perpetrators to justice, for the sake of the innocent victims and the children left behind.
I call on the Governor of Plateau State to rise to this challenge. Take bold and immediate action against those who seek to destroy our land and shed innocent blood. Let them face the full weight of the law.
This feels like a nightmare—how did we get to the point where the same Plateau where I once slept peacefully with both eyes closed is now a place where even sleeping with one eye open feels unsafe?
Where is the peace in our “Home of Peace and Tourism”?
When will our tears dry? When will justice prevail?
If we truly seek peace, then justice must be non-negotiable.