NUJ Chairman, Chartered Standard Bank Dragged Before EFCC, ICPC

Two senior Abuja based journalists, the Deputy Editor/Group News Editor of LEADERSHIP Newspapers Group, Mr. Iyobosa Uwugiaren and the City Editor of Pointer Newspaper, Elder Emmanuel Ideah have dragged the Chairman of Abuja Council of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ}, Malachy Uzendu and the Chartered Standard Bank before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission {EFCC} and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC} over alleged inappropriate financial deals.

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In a letter entitled, “Inappropriate Financial Deal Between The FCT Chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists {NUJ} And Chartered Standard Bank” dated November 13, 2008 and submitted to the anti-corruption agencies yesterday, the two journalists urged them to investigate the issues and ensure that offenders, if any are punished.

“We are professional and registered members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists {NUJ}, Abuja Council. And as committed members of the union, who have always insisted in the transparency, accountability and openness in the day-to-day running of our union, we wish to bring to your notice what we considered to be inappropriate financial transaction between the FCT Chairman of NUJ, Mr. Malachy Uzendu and the Chartered Standard Bank”, they stated in their petition also addressed to the anti-fraud Unity of the FCT Police Command.

“Some time last year, Mr. Uzendu, who claimed to be acting on behalf of over 1000 members of our union entered into a financial transaction, running into millions of naira for a 20-year lease with the Chartered Standard Bank, for construction of a banking hall in the premises of the NUJ secretariat, located in the Utako District area, Abuja, without any approval of the congress and the national secretariat of our union, as required by the constitution of the NUJ.   

“We have every reason to believe that the said bank didn’t follow the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN} regulation covering financial dealings with its customers. To be sure, if the bank had insisted on proper documentation of the relevant papers before the deal was sealed and signed, it would have discovered that Mr. Uzendu, under the constitution of our union lacks the power or authority to enter into any financial dealing with the bank without the approval of the relevant organs of our union.

“As a matter of fact, it is the national secretariat of our union that is empowered by the NUJ constitution to sign such huge contract on behalf of all state councils. Therefore, we have every reason to suspect that the bank breached the financial regulations of its relevant regulatory agencies and may have financially induced Mr. Malachy to have its way in the seeming dirty deal”, they added.

The unionists said that they were “more worried” about the secrecy surrounding the transaction. “In our recent meetings attended by journalists from all media organizations in Abuja, a five-man investigative panel, headed by a producer /editor with AIT/Ray Power, Mr. Chris Ogodo was set up to look into the transaction and the terms of agreement between the two parties but apparently because of the dirtiness of the deal, Mr. Uzendu and his gang have consistently frustrated all efforts by the investigative panel to look into the matter”, they said. “In another meeting, the congress also gave him seven days within which to render all financial transactions he carried out on behalf of the union. Again, he has refused to act, as at the time of writing this petition. This is our frustration and worry”.

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They said they also had it on good authority that Mr. Uzendu collected N5million from the former Minister of FCT, Malam Nasiru El-Rufui, N4million from Enugu State Government and unspecified amount of money from the Independent National Electoral Commission {INEC} and the NAFDAC for projects not known to them and that as at the time of writing their report had failed or refused to render account to members of the union.

In his “several uncoordinated attempts to explain out this huge seeming fraud”, the petitioners said the accused had gave different figures, ranging to N62million to N500million to those who care to listen to him. “As institutions empowered by law to fight financial crimes and other corrupt practices, we urge you to investigate the matter and ensure that the offenders, if any are punished”, they added.

“As an institution empowered by section 22 of the 1999 Constitution –of holding public office holders accountable to the people, journalists must be seen to be living above board.  Nobody, not even leaders of the NUJ, are above the law in our efforts to stamp out corruption in our society.

“We have every reason to believe that the dirty financial deal was informed by the selfish interests of Mr. Malacy and the bank, a clear sign of stinking deals in most financial institutions in our country today. That Mr. Uzendu acted alone in the deal without the consent of relevant organs of our union.

“That in line with your recent bold steps to sanitize the banking sector, a bank that seems to be aiding and abetting corrupt practices in a sensitive institution like Chartered Standard Bank should be sanctioned. We are pregnant with hope that the Almighty God will give you the courage to act urgently on this matter”, they added.