...Says purported expulsion illegal, lacks merit
By Ikemefuna Ikem
The crisis rocking the University of Nigeria, Branch of the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) appears not to be getting over anytime soon as two factions are laying claims as the legitimate branch executives of the association.
NAAT National Executive Council (NEC) had in a recent letter to its members in UNN and the University community reaffirmed the expulsion of Comrade Temple Sam Onwukwe and nine others from the association over alleged anti-union activities, and urged them to recognise the caretaker committee led by Comrade Ugwueze Cornelius Chinweike.
Addressing newsmen in Enugu at the weekend, Comrade Temple said that the purported suspension or expulsion and the purported appointment of the Steering Committee as claimed by the association's National body have no merit and are illegal as they lack the power to take such action.
Temple insisted that the action of NAAT NEC is a clear affront to the Branch’s congress and also is sub judice considering that the matter is pending in a court of competent jurisdiction.
According to him "The allegations by the national executive are unfounded and misleading. They shielded the facts of the matter to cover up a betrayal of trust by Mr. Emmanuel Mbaoji against the Branch Congress. The tenure of Mr. Emmanuel Mbaoji-led executives ended on 26/8/2020 and the election for new executive members was underway as the date and timeline for the elections was secured and fixed by My Mbaoji as approved by the National body. Electoral committee were nominated by Mr. Mbaoji and ratified by the congress for the election.
"However, things took a dirty twist when Mr. Emmanuel Mbaoji the then chairman illegally deducted 5.4 million from arrears of earned academic allowance paid to our members in January 2021 and attempted to divert the said deductions to an arranged bank account number different from the union's bank account. His actions leaked to the congress which led to the congress unanimously passing a vote of no confidence on Mr. Emmanuel Mbaoji. The Congress decision of vote of no confidence was transmitted to the national body, instead of investigating such matter to save the image of the union, they rather shielded Mr. Mbaoji their crony and turned against the branch and some selected members of the Congress whom they feel are standing on the truth and not willing to compromise the integrity of our union.
"The NAAT Union has a constitution that stipulates all the laws and guidelines for the conduct of all elections within the union. However, a few weeks before the election in an attempt to return to the seat of the Branch Chairman through the back door, Mr. Mbaoji brought a strange document he called an electoral guideline different from the one in the constitution which expressly returned him unopposed and insisted it would be used for the conduct of the elections. This was again vehemently rejected by the Congress. The congress went ahead to elect the Temple-led executives following the provisions of the constitution of the union.
"The branch Congress being law-abiding citizens advises the national executive to show respect for the rule of law by allowing the national industrial court to rule on the matter. The actions they are taking through some correspondences are seen to mislead the public, and suggest the union to uphold illegality by not obeying her constitution and total disregard to the court tantamount to contempt," Temple said.
Speaking further, Comrade Temple explained that NAAT UNN branch had at its general congress held on 1/7/2025 at the Nsukka campus of the university and on 9/7/2025 at Enugu Campus of the university deliberated on, among other issues, the provocative meddlesomeness in the internal affairs of the Branch by the National Executive Committee of the Association under the leadership of Comrade Ibeji Nwokoma.
According to him, the Branch Congress noted as follows:
1. that the tenure of the immediate past Branch Chairman and Executive ended on 26/8/2020. And that an election was held on 25/2/2021 which produced an Executive Committee led by Comrade Temple Sam Onwukwe. The immediate past Chairman of the Branch, Comrade Emmanuel Mborji did not present himself for the election. At the instigation of the National President, Comrade Emmanuel Mbaoji refused to recognize the Executive Committee that was elected on 25/2/2021. The National President, Comrade Ibeji Nwokoma continued to recognize Emmanuel Mbaoji as the Branch Chairman until the latter retired on 28/5/2025.
2. The Executive Committee led by Comrade Temple Sam Onwukwe, filed a suit at the National Industrial Court Enugu, challenging the actions of the National President. A copy of the suit is hereto annexed for ease of reference.
3. The National Executive Committee purportedly suspended some members of the Branch on account of the foregoing, even when the matter was pending in Court.
4. That in the interest of peace and harmony within the Branch, some elders in the Branch reached out to the National President, Comrade Ibeji Nwokoma to appeal to him to accept the will of members of the Branch. This move was disregarded by the National President.
5. The Executive Committee led by Temple Sam Onwukwe could not access the funds of the Association in the Association’s account with the University of Nigeria Microfinance Bank because Comrade Emmanuel Mbaoji-led executive refused to hand over.
6. The Comrade Temple Same Onwukwe-led Executive has been representing the members of the Association on welfare matters in the University of Nigeria and has done so satisfactorily to the admiration of her members and staff of the university. It was for this reason that Comrade Temple Sam Onwukwe was elected into the Governing Council of the University of Nigeria.
7. When Comrade Emmanuel Mbaoji retired form Public Service, the National Executive Committee purported to have appointed one Steering Committee chairman, as such a purported a position that does not exist in the Association at both National and Branch level, with a purported mandate to preside over the affairs of the Branch.
In the light of the foregoing, the Branch Congress resolve as follows:
i. That it is the Executive Committee led by Comrade Temple Onwukwe which was duly elected by the Branch on 25/2/2021 that is recognized by the Branch. Congress passed a vote of Confidence on the said Executive Committee.
ii. That the National Executive Committee of the Association does not have the authority to impose or foist anybody or person to run the affairs of the Branch. Thus, whoever is appointed by the National leadership of the Association to preside over the affairs of the Branch is on his own or their own and would not receive cooperation from members of the Branch.
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