Group Urges Agric Minister To Wade Into NIFOR Leadership Crisis

The Minister for Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, has been called upon to intervene in the leadership crisis threatening the peace and harmony in the Nigerian Institute for Palm Research (NIFOR).

The Minister was tasked to ensure peace was restored and fostered in order to achieve the desired technology-driven Agrobusiness value chain.

The Coordinator General of Edo Unity League, Prof Akenuwa Obarogie, stated this on Sunday in a letter to the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security in the face of the leadership crisis that has plagued the oil research institute over the years.

Obarogie, who recalled series of court judgements in favour of the appointment of Dr. Napoleon Aisueni since 2017 as the Director/ Chief Executive of the Institute, however, regretted that some misguided persons have continued to undermine the rule of law and ethics of appointment in the civil service as it concern NIFOR.

He pointed out that that, “advertisements and interviews earlier conducted were done without regard to due process and therefore invalidated by pending court injunctions,” adding that “appointments cannot be made on that selection process until the court cases are concluded and a selection process initiated when the seat is unencumbered. This is consistent with the spirit and letters of all subsisting judgments by various courts of competent jurisdiction in the matter.”

He further stated, “Let’s be clear that Dr. Napoleon Aisueni is an Edo man who was appointed into position as the Director/Chief Executive in year 2017 but was prevented from running his term even after the court judgment in his favour in which his appointment was declared proper is a victim of executive rascality.

“The Federal Ministry of Agriculture appealed that judgement which till date has not been set aside. The case and other cases that arose from that judgment since 2017.

“Court judgment in favour of Dr Napoleon Osasuyi Aisueni in which his appointment vide letter No. Agr/B03/1/156 of 9/11/2017 as Director/Chief Executive of NIFOR was upheld and declared proper, valid and still stands by the National Industrial Court in suite No. NICN/BEN/24/2017 which has not been set aside till date. This judgment was appealed by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security in suite No. CA/AL/72/2019 in a pending suite at the Federal Court of Appeal, Akure.

“Appointing a substantive Director/Chief Executive indicates that Suite No. CA/Al/72/2019 has been set aside by the Ministry; an action we consider prejudicial and in complete violation of the rule of law.

“Dr Napoleon O. Aisueni may not be desirous anymore of occupying the position but his case at the courts should be officially processed and necessary settlement reached between the Parties. It is unlawful for the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food security to roughshod court processes with impunity in a government that proclaims respect for the rule of law in all its administrative activities.

“The Benin National Congress (BNC) worldwide, as well as the United Patriots Assembly of Nigeria (UPAN) are joint defendants and respondents in some of the above cases because of the need to guarantee a peaceful operating environment in NIFOR.

“BNC worldwide and UPAN petitioned the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security and the Agricultural Council of Nigeria to the House Committee on Public Petition but hearing was suspended till the end of the pending court processes.”