IBy
Peterside Rejoice Eneky
The dispute between the Abia State Government and the state chapter of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) over the alleged forfeiture of 38 months of pension arrears has escalated, with both sides trading accusations.
The government insists that an agreement was signed, dismissing the NUP leaders as dishonest. However, the pensioners’ representatives refute the claim, alleging they were coerced into signing an unfair Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) under duress.
NUP Chairman Chukwuemeka Irondi accused the administration of Governor Alex Otti of ambushing them into signing the agreement. According to him, pensioners were invited to the governor’s residence at 11 a.m. but were left waiting until 8 p.m. before a former Commissioner for Finance presented a document for them to sign.
Irondi stated that at such a late hour, refusing to sign the document was not a viable option due to concerns for their safety. He further alleged that a female Special Adviser to the Governor had previously requested and obtained NUP’s official letterhead without suspicion, later using it to craft the controversial agreement.
NUP Secretary Elder Uma corroborated Irondi’s claims, stating that upon reviewing the document the next day, the pensioners’ leadership found it unacceptable and immediately raised concerns with government officials.
Governor Otti, in response, accused the pensioners’ leadership of dishonesty and insisted that the MoU was willingly signed. He also suggested that the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) was behind the controversy, citing the NUP lawyer’s alleged ties to the PDP.
Otti maintained that his administration has been consistent in paying monthly pensions and dismissed the pensioners’ claims as politically motivated. He criticized the pensioners’ leadership for not taking legal action against past administrations that accumulated the arrears, questioning why they are now challenging his government’s resolution efforts.
“I will not negotiate with dishonest people. If they claim they never signed, let them take the matter to court. Genuine pensioners are happy with the payments they receive,” the governor asserted.
Despite acknowledging that the Otti administration has been paying monthly pensions, Irondi insisted that pensioners would not voluntarily forfeit their legitimate entitlements. He described the agreement as an imposition rather than a negotiated settlement.
Irondi further alleged that the government deliberately kept the pensioners waiting for hours before forcing them into signing the document without proper scrutiny. He challenged the governor to verify the true events with his officials.
On the question of seeking legal redress, Irondi expressed concerns that pursuing court action could lead to delays or potential halting of monthly pension payments. He called on the government to reconsider its stance and engage in a fair resolution process.
As tensions rise, the dispute remains unresolved, leaving pensioners uncertain about the fate of their long-overdue entitlements.
