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I’ve Not Been Barred from Occupying Public Office or Contesting Election – Aondoakaa

Published

2 years ago

February 25, 2022

Eric

A former Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Michael Aondoakaa, has said that he was at no time barred from from occupying public office or contesting election as being circulated.

In a statement made available to The Boss, the minister, who served under late President Umar Musa Yar’dua’s administration, said the Supreme Court judgment which exonerated him is in public space for as many that wish to read it. He added that it is his intention to run for the governorship seat of Benue State in 2023 that is causing the reactions from his detractors.

Aondoakaa’s detailed statement is as follows:

“This is nothing other than people who are afraid of my popularity or reasons best known to them. Or may be they didn’t read the Supreme Court Judgement. But I have given you the copy of the judgement and the paragraph that is relevant to the issue. It reads in part…”indeed the issue of qualification for holding the office of the second respondent or any other public office does not arise.” The second respondent in this case is the office of the Attorney General of the Federation which I held at that time.

“For whatever reason, some people were happy. This was a private dispute between me and somebody. When I left government, they could have accused me of corruption but there was nothing of such despite the hostile manner I parted government of my handling of late President Yar’adua medical vacation crisis. I was in Rome, doing a UNDROIT job, then the case was in the peak of the aftermath of the late Yar’adua Medical vacation crisis and his Excellency date

“Somebody filed an action against me and the Office of the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation at Federal High Court Calabar ,which I was not aware of it . He served it on the Ministry of Justice and by February 10th 2010 , I was removed from office, I was not aware of the case. In fact, the issue was funny, that in 1996, I Michael Kaase Aondoakaa had a law firm called M K Aondoakaa and Co, represented Utan Brama Fire Disaster Community in Akwa Ibom State. I was barely about 10 years at the bar. That I represented the Utan Brama Fire Disaster community in Akwa ibom State and when I became Attorney General I paid the money and had personal interest with them because of the payment amounting to conflict of interest. Look at how easy they would have taken me to ICPC or EFCC or Code of Conduct. Somebody sued me for that.

“Federal Ministry of Justice, Port Harcourt office went there and filed a defence for office of Attorney General of the Federation but did not file defence for me because i was no longer Attorney General of the Federation at the time the case was held in June 2010. The Senior State Counsel Mrs Akpan who filed conditional memorandum of appeal also on my behalf did not appear at the hearing of the matter. I have have seen or met Mrs Akpan in my life though she might have entered appearance for me and the Office of Attorney General of the Federation in her normal official status as the resident State Counsel in at port Harcourt zonal office of the Federal Ministry of Justice.I was not aware of the case and judgement was entered against me. The issue is now in court again because when I came back after this judgement, we sought from the current Hon. Attorney General to find out what really happened…may be I made the said payment but I was sure that in 1996 I was practicing in Gboko and I wonder how I could have gone to represent people in Akwa Ibom state. I Sought the aforesaid under Freedom of Information Act, and we got a shocker which is now a matter pending in court. The said payment was done in 2006 by my predecessor (former Attorney General). The amount the plaintiff accused me to have paid was 414million and I was still negotiating to pay judgment debt interest amounting to 700million naira. . What my predecessor actually paid was 350Million in 2006 as full and final payment by consent of the parties in the matter . Furthermore that my law firm MK Aondoakaa &Co never acted for Utam Brama Fire Disaster Community . The case was decided based on sworn affidavit evidence of the Plaintiff which facts therein were uncontested because I had no defence being unaware of the case. The lawyers from Federal Ministry of Justice did appear in court during the hearing of the case.

Relying on several authorities of the Supreme Court which says a judgement obtained by fraud can be set aside as being a tortuous wrong, we went back to court and the matter is in court, so I will not comment further. I have served them and they have joined issues. Now that they said on oath that I am the one who made the payment in Utan Brama Fire Disaster case and had personal interest by also representing the said Utan Brama in a private capacity but under the Freedom of Information the Office of the Attorney of the Federation has confirmed that the money was paid in 2006 and I became Attorney General of the Federation in 2007. I am back in court on the grounds of obtaining judgement against me by fraud. I have reported the fraud to Inspector General for investigation. That truth can only be delayed but can never hidden forever.

“In any case, I read the judgement which says it has nothing to do with me holding public office or contesting election. They don’t read the Constitution. What does the Constitution say? It says even if you are convicted of breach of Code of Conduct of public office or an offence involving dishonesty, it is only for 10years. Section 182 of the Constitution i and the Code of Conduct Schedule 15 are very clear. This judgement was given in June 2010 at the heat of the crisis which involved me at the initial time of President Jonathan administration over the manner late President Yar’adua Medical vacation was handled and my stand over the matter

“From June 2010 to June 2020, is that not 10 years? But they are narrow-minded. Instead of coming to say on the table, this is what I have for Benue people, it is Aondoakaa they want to face. The judgement is there in the Supreme Court and I have given a copy to whoever wants to read it.”

News

NLC Rejects FG’s 35% Salary Increase, Demands N615,000 Living Wage

Published

5 hours ago

May 1, 2024

Eric

The National President of the National Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, has described the federal government increase of civil servants by 35% as mischievous, insisting that the minimum wage should not be below N615,000

Ajaero who made this statement in an interview with Channels TV on Wednesday, said the federal government should pay workers a “living wage.”

According to the union boss, a living wage is such that at least keep the workers alive for the month, without resorting to borrowing and malnutrition.

Ajaero said the President promised to pay a living wage, and it was legislated upon by the National Assembly.

However, he said the government is yet to reconvene a meeting with the organized labour after they submitted a report of N615,000 to the government as the amount for living wage.

“The announcement now appears mischievous because there is no wage increase that government is announcing. For them to announce it now, it is an issue that we are worried about at the NLC and even at the TUC.

“And the last minimum wage of N30,000 expired on the 18th of April. By now, we assume today on the regime of a new minimum wage.

“Discussions were supposed to be concluded. The national assembly legislated on it before now. The discussion entered voicemail because the federal government refused to reconvene the meeting that was adjourned.

We had public hearing in the six geopolitical zones and we came back to collate the submission. And the committee asked NLC and TUC to do their submission which they did and came up to about N615,000.

“The moment they got that up till this moment, no meeting has taken place.

“Living wage is such a wage that will at least keep you alive. That should be N615,000.”

Speaking further, Ajaero further broke down the proposed living wage to the federal government.

He said this wage will cover things such as utility bill payment, transportation, feeding, hospital, electricity and education, among others.

“We are asking for accommodation of N40,000. We are asking for electricity for N20,000. We look at utility that is about N10,000 and kerosene and gas which is about N25,000 and N30,000.

“We look at food for N9,000 for the family of six, in a day. For thirty days, that’s about N270,000. We look at medical for N50,000 and education N50,000, and sanitization for N10,000.

“Because of subsidy removal and the fact that workers stay in fringes, that amounted to N110,000. That brought the whole thing to N615,000. And I want anybody to subject this to further investigation and find out if there will be any savings after these payments”, Ajaero added.

On Tuesday, the Federal Government approved an increase in salaries across various salary structures in a move aimed at boosting the welfare of civil servants.

The Increase, ranging between 25% and 35% will apply to personnel on the six remaining Consolidated Salary Structures.

These salary structures include the Consolidated Public Service Salary Structure (CONPSS), Consolidated Research and Allied Institutions Salary Structure (CONRAISS), Consolidated Police Salary Structure (CONPOSS), Consolidated Para-military Salary Structure (CONPASS), Consolidated Intelligence Community Salary Structure (CONICCS), and Consolidated Armed Forces Salary Structure (CONAFSS).

Nairametrics

News

FG Fetes Civil Servants with 35% Salary Increment, Backdates Payment to January

Published

1 day ago

April 30, 2024

Eric

The Federal government has approved a salary increase of between 25 percent and 35 percent for civil servants on the remaining six Consolidated Salary Structures.

The Head of Press, National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC), Mr. Emmanuel Njoku, disclosed this through a statement on Tuesday in Abuja.

He said: “The Federal Government has approved an increase of between 25 percent and 35 percent in salary increase for civil servants on the remaining six Consolidated Salary Structures.

“They include Consolidated Public Service Salary Structure (CONPSS), Consolidated Research and Allied Institutions Salary Structure (CONRAISS), and Consolidated Police Salary Structure (CONPOSS).

“Others are Consolidated Para-military Salary Structure (CONPASS), Consolidated Intelligence Community Salary Structure (CONICCS), and Consolidated Armed Forces Salary Structure (CONAFSS).

“The increases will take effect from January 1.”

Njoku revealed that the Federal government has also approved increase pension increase of between 20 percent and 28 percent for pensioners on the Defined Benefits Scheme.

He added that the increase is on the six consolidated salary structures and would also take effect from January 1.

The move, according to him, is in line with the provisions of Section 173(3) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).

The official recalled that those in the tertiary education and health sectors had already received their increases.

“This involves Consolidated University Academic Salary Structure (CONUASS) and Consolidated Tertiary Institutions Salary Structure (CONTISS) for universities.

“For Polytechnics and Colleges of Education, it involves the Consolidated Polytechnics and Colleges of Education Academic Staff Salary Structure (CONPCASS) and Consolidated Tertiary Educational Institutions Salary Structure (CONTEDISS).

“The Health Sector also benefitted through the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) and Consolidated Health Sector Salary Structure (CONHESS),” Njoku added.

News

Ahead One Year in Office Anniversary, Abia Assembly, Others Give Otti Vote of Confidence

Published

2 days ago

April 30, 2024

Eric

Ahead his one year anniversary in office on May 29, Abia State governor Alex Otti, has been endorsed by the leadership of the Labour Party (LP) in the State and the 17 LGAs.

The unanimous vote of confidence was passed during an enlarged meeting, which was attended by the governor, the entire party hierarchy in the State, all political appointees in the state executive cabinet, elected members at the national and Abia State House of Assembly.

The motion for the vote of confidence was moved by Obi Aguocha, the member representing the Ikwuano-Umuahia Federal constituency, who said that Otti has made the party proud in the past 11 months in office by surpassing expectations.

The motion at the meeting, which was convened at the governor’s residence, was supported by the member representing Obingwa-Osisioma-Ugwunagbo federal constituency, Munachim Alozie, with the Speaker of Abia State House of Assembly, Emmanuel Emeruwa, putting the decision to a vote.

The meeting, according to stakeholders, was called primarily for the party hierarchy in the State and the local government areas to familiarise themselves with the various appointees of government, including members of the State Executive Council and local government.

Governor Otti, who said he was surprised at the show of solidarity and confidence by his party leadership and other stakeholders, expressed gratitude to God that people have taken note of the modest achievements recorded by his administration in less than one year in office.

The governor informed the meeting that he met Abia at sub-zero level and said that Abia citizens were ashamed to introduce themselves as citizens of the State.

“Today, everywhere you introduce yourself as an Abian, people look at you differently with respect, unlike in the past, ” said Otti.