PRESS STATEMENT
The Central Executive Committee of the Nigerians in Diaspora Organization Europe (NIDOE) feels compelled to address recent efforts by certain individuals to compromise the organization’s democratic processes by attempting to impose candidates through unconstitutional methods.
This threatens NIDOE’s core principles of strict compliance with the NIDOE Constitution, fairness, transparency, and adherence to established electoral guidelines.
PART I: ORIGINS OF THE CURRENT CRISIS
The current dispute is as a result of the 2024 election preparations when the Electoral Committee, in alignment with Article 64 of the NIDOE Constitution, issued election guidelines to all NIDOE chapters.
However, the UK-South (UKS) chapter deviated from these protocols, implementing its own internal convention guidelines favoring specific candidates—Sir Chibuzor Ubochi and Hon. Omusa Ohyoma—while sidelining the other legitimate nominees: Cllr. Harold Ogunfemi, Cllr. Taslim Gbajabiamila, and Hon. Chichi Onwugbonu. This deviation contradicts Articles 13.1, 13.4, and 47.5 of the NIDOE Constitution.
Following a petition from Pastor Peters Omoragbon to the Electoral Committee (EC) backed by other 34 UKS members and the three excluded candidates, explaining how unfairly the nomination process has been conducted in UK South. The Electoral Committee (EC) verified the complaints and urged the UK South chapter to conduct a free and fair primary election among the financial members to choose amongst the 5 nominees.
According to the NIDOE constitution, 2 persons are to be endorsed per chapter. However, the UK South leadership disregarded this directive, claiming it fell outside the Electoral Committee’s jurisdiction to instruct them on how to carry out their internal nomination process, which of course is in conflict with Article 68.5 of the NIDOE Constitution. Subsequently, the UK South Executive Committee expelled the three nominees and Pastor Peters Omoragbon (who initially raised the issue) from the chapter without adhering to proper procedures of the local chapter’s constitution on how to remove a member from the chapter.
Amongst the three people that were expelled, a serving Central Executive Council (CEC) member was in their midst, which contravenes Articles 35.5, 42.5 and 42.6 of the NIDOE Constitution.
PART II: BOARD OF TRUSTEES (BOT) INTERVENTIONS AND RESOLUTION
In response to this crisis the BoT intervened per Article 48.4, directing the UKS chapter to:
1. Reinstate the three expelled candidates.
2. Issue formal apologies for their unwarranted exclusion from the chapter.
3. Conduct a transparent primary election in line with the democratic norms entrenched in NIDOE’s constitution.
Meanwhile, shortly after this resolution was sent to the UK South Chapter, it was rather saddening for the BOT to receive a memo from the same 4 members highlighting the reluctance and non-adherence of the UK South chapter to the BOT resolution. It was received that the UK South considered the BOT decision to be merely advisory in nature.
The BOT recalls that at her emergency meeting dated 8th September 2024, the Board unanimously agreed that the UK South executives should reinstate all the members expelled back to the chapter and a fresh internal primary election should be conducted for all members to participate in electing who should represent them in the forthcoming NIDOE Central Executive Council Election.
Notwithstanding, after much deliberation, the UKS executive reportedly held an EGM. But rather than put up all the five nominees vying to serve at the CEC for a primary election, the UK South executives only presented the two nominees whom they initially selected for ratification by the members, while the other three nominees were still expelled and were never presented to the house for a fresh primary election to be taken place.
Rather, they offered that members should ratify the expulsion of Pastor Peters Omoragbon and the other three nominees. However, rather than ratifying the expulsion of the other three nominees, the members recommended reconciliation.
Shockingly, this reconciliation process has not been achieved till the date of this press briefing.
Furthermore, another BOT emergency meeting was then called on October 6, 2024, whereby it was noted that the UK South executive failed to carry out the unanimous decision of the BOT. The Chairperson of the Chapter, Hon Niyi Zaccheus explained that the decision of the BOT on the 29th of September was advisory on the grounds that it was not a voted resolution.
The BOT then overwhelmingly voted that the three members expelled should be recalled back because they were unjustly expelled for putting themselves forward for elections for positions at the CEC, and also for writing petition to the Electoral Committee. The Chapter was also instructed to go back and organize a primary election to determine the two persons to be endorsed amongst the 5 contenders.
On the 20th of October, another BOT emergency meeting was called to get the feedback from the UK South on their internal primary election and reconciliation process. Unfortunately, the Chairperson of the UKS maintained that the memo earlier sent from the Chapter had explained all they wanted to say and that any decisions taken by the BoT were at best advisory. He further argued that UKS is an independent and legal entity, and they are answerable to none. Hence, they have refused to carry out any resolutions of the BOTs.
In NIDOE, all chapters are bounded by the authority and regulations of the central body. Hence, it is statutory that all chapters pay annually a Validation fees to the central body. The BOT also pointed out that, as far as the issue at hand is concerned; the NIDOE election is backed up by the NIDOE constitution, which should be dominant at the chapter level.
The board further took cognizance of the fact that all members of NIDOE are members at the chapter level and also at the central body.
Out of the tiredness and continuous disrespect for the board resolutions to the UK South, members requested that UK South should be excused from Europe to enable her to reconsider her behavior towards the collective good of NIDOE.
However, an objection was raised that the Board should carry every chapter along at this critical moment, and worthily that position was sustained, and the board opted for the endorsement process given to them by the NIDOE constitution in Article 69.1. Due to time constraint and repeated non-compliance of the UKS Executive Committee, the BOT decided to invoke Article 69.1, which allows it to organize an endorsement process involving all the five aspirants from the Chapter. After the polling exercise on zoom, Cllr Harold Ogunfemi and Hon. Chichi Onwugbonu emerged with the highest votes, hence were endorsed by the BOT as candidates. Despite this constitutional and transparent process undertaken by the BOT, certain individuals felt dissatisfied.
PART III: THE ILLEGALITY OF EGM 2024
The disgruntled group, consisting mostly of old members of the organization, who believed that the EC shouldn’t have paid attention to the petitions being written by the contestants from UKS, but rather concentrated on just organization of the electoral process. They then requisitioned an EGM. In addition to points raised in our letter dated 09/10/2024, the requisitioned EGM lacks any constitutional basis and violates Articles 56, 57.4, and 48.4 of the NIDOE Constitution regarding the procedures for such a meeting. Without the BOT’s sanction, such an EGM is termed invalid. These actions risk the unity and integrity of NIDOE as a democratic institution representing Nigerians across Europe. It has been reported that because of the grievance the organizers have against the current CEC, they decided to invite nonpaying members of NIDOE and nonmembers of NIDOE from all the chapters just to ascertain the legitimacy of the EGM.
NIDOE remains resolute in upholding the rule of law. The Electoral Committee and the BOT are committed to ensuring a fair and transparent election process in full compliance with the NIDOE Constitution. We want to assure all members across Europe and lovers of NIDOE across the globe that the administration of NIDOE is under the control and that the CEC is in charge of running the business of the Nigerians in Diaspora Organization Europe, NIDOE. Kindly reject divisive tactics from any quotas as we continue to reaffirm our dedication to a democratic process that serves fairness, justice, equity, and transparency amongst all well-meaning Nigerians.
Signed:
Hon. Michael Otogo
Continental General Secretary
Tel.+358 46 5765319.
Hon (Dr.) Bashir Obasekola
Continental Chairman
Tel.+7 916 118 94 35
DATE: TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29 2024.
