In apparent reaction to Governor Alex Otti’s description of the leadership of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), Abia State chapter as dishonest and stupid, the Chairman of the Association, Elder Chukwuemeka Irondi, has described the Governor’s comment as very unfortunate.
Elder Irondi who spoke in a local Radio Station in Umuahia, made it clear that the membership of the State EXCO of the NUP are not dishonest and stupid but are very good and seasoned Men.
“I’m bleeding in my heart, I am not happy with what he said. We are not dishonest people, we are good people. We are not stupid, we are seasoned old men.
“Yes we signed that which was pressed on us to sign by government officials. It’s only a foolish man that will refuse to sign where he is asked to sign with a man holding a gun behind him at that hour of the night,”he alleged.
On their next line of action, Elder Irondi who made it clear that they will not take any legal action, pointed out that he was aware that if they go to court as the Governor challenged them, the State Chief Executive could stop paying the one he is paying now, observing the court action could linger until he goes out of office.
He however called on the Governor to call his officials to objectively and truthfully tell him what transpired during the negotiation.
He further expressed surprise that something not mentioned in the minutes of meetings appeared in the final agreement and alleged that this shows that the government officials were up to some mischief.
“In all the minutes of all the meetings we held with government officials no mention of forfeiting pensioners gratuity was mentioned,” Elder Irondi emphasized.
Recall, Governor Alex otti, had during the January edition of his monthly media chat tagged “Gov.Otti speaks to Abians” at the Banquet hall Government House Umuahia on Thursday night described Abia state pensioners as honest people with dishonest and stupid leadership.
The Governor had challenged the leadership of Abia state NUP to go to court if they are not satisfied with the memorandum of understanding they signed with the state government on the payment of backlog of pension and gratuity owed them by the previous government.
“The pensioners in Abia state, are honest people but their leadership is dishonest. We don’t reward dishonest leadership. If you made a mistake, don’t say you didn’t sign, don’t say I was deceived, you went to school. Somebody was owing you, I did not owe them. They kept quiet for over ten years and somebody come to say I want to clear the backlog and they were happy.
” I will not be discouraged with the game the leadership of the pensioners are doing. I will no longer deal with them. If they are not stupid, why will they hire a People’s Democratic party (PDP) lawyer, somebody that owed them for ten years to come and rubbish somebody who offered to help them.
“Since I came, I have been paying them 100% of their pension. The genuine pensioners are happy,” the Governor argued.
He further described the leadership of Abia state NUP as contractors who feel they are here to do business, stating that they cannot collect their monies and come back to say they were deceived to sign the MOU.
“I have finished with them. If they are not happy with what they signed, they should go to court. If somebody is not happy that he is paid 100% of his pension, he should return the one he was paid and go and continue wearing black. I will not negotiate with dishonest leadership again,”Gov.Otti vowed.
