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How allegations of ghost workers sparked off ‘war’ in EKEDC! *See details
It has emerged that the recent war within the fold of Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) Plc top management, was the direct outcome of a sharp disagreement between the electricity distributor and West Power & Gas Ltd (WPG Ltd), its parent company over the allegations of fraud, particularly the existence of ghost-workers.
The crisis had reached a head when Dere Otubu, Chairman of the Board of the company, fired Tinuade Sanda, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (MD-CEO), citing an alleged directive by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) that all staff of EKEDC, must be sourced from within and nobody should be on secondment.
The letter, dated March 25, and entitled: Implementation of NERC Directive on Seconded Staff, dated March 25 read in part: “We have received a NERC (Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission) directive dated March 21, 2024, which instructed Eko Electricity Distribution Plc inter alia:
“EKDC is hereby directed to ensure that all staff working for the utility are employed by the utility directly, bound by applicable service conditions that are applicable to the employees of the utility and paid through the utilities payroll.
“The Disco is obliged to obey these directives due to the power of NERC as stipulated in the Electricity Act 2023. In compliance with the above directive, all seconded staff from WPG Ltd are being released by Eko Electricity Distribution Plc and returned to WPG Ltd.
“You are hereby relieved of your role, office and position at Eko Electricity Distribution Plc effective immediately and returned to WPG Ltd, your employer.”
Babatunde Lasaki, EKEDC’s, General Manager, Corporate Communications and Strategy, had subsequently released a statement, announcing what he said was the board’s decision to appoint Rekhiat Momoh, Sanda’s replacement, though in acting capacity, a statement which was promptly countered by Babor Egeregor Director/Chairman, Legal and Regulatory Committee of the board, who said that Sanda remained on his job as CEO/MD and that her removal and replacement with Momoh by Otubu, were of no effect, NERC gave no such directive as cited by Otubu.
Latest revelations, however showed that the company’s management had been embroiled in internal crisis over who should deal with the case of internal investigation over the allegation of fraud, particularly that of the ghost-workers within its fold between EKEDC and WPG, before the matter finally blew out in the open.
It is said that following the escalation of the alleged fraud by Sandas, in November, George Etomi, WPG Chairman, had on December 5, fired a letter to one Wole Joseph-Condotti, one of the staff seconded to EKEDC, recalling him from his duty as the Chief Legal Officer (CLO), to enable thorough investigation, which Otubu, the company’s boss asked him to ignore.
Otubu, on the same December 5, 2023, while in countering Etomi’s letter, entitled Letter of recall from your position as Chief Legal Officer (CLO) in Eko Electricity Distribution Company Plc (EKEDP) pending an investigation into alleged misconduct,
wrote: “Dear Wola, I was copied in a letter from the Chairman of WPG dated 5th of Dec 2023 recalling you from the position of Chief Legal Officer to Eko Disco. Kindly disregard this letter in its entirety. Eko Disco will continue with the process of looking into the matter. Eko Disco MD who is copied should note accordingly.
However, Etomi, firing back, expressed “shock” at Otubu’s counter letter, had insisted that the rights to recall and or discipline staff are consequential rights of WPG as the CLO’s employer, stressing that the said letter constituted standard practice in such cases, pending the conclusion of the investigation and determination of the matter.
He wrote: Kindly be aware that the issues that have necessitated the recall are very grievous and nothing whatsoever should be done to condone or cover them up. Without prejudice to whatever action you want to take, WPG will go ahead to conduct a full investigation into the matter and I advise all our nominees on the EKEDC Board not to lend themselves to any cover up. The instruction to recall stands and ignoring it will be at the peril of whoever does so.”
The next day, December 6, 2023, Otubu, returned the “surprise” via his own letter to Etomi, saying: “I’m kindly surprised at your letter as I had spoken to you on why your “letter of Recall” should never have been issued in the first place and was therefore disregarded.
“I had pointed out to you that it was clearly improper for you to “singlehandedly” issue instructions of such significance on behalf of WPG and on a matter that relates to you without wide consultations. Furthermore, these instructions are to officers in a separate company “Eko Disco, with significant government shareholding and its processes, Issuing threats to Eko Disco staff is kindly ill advised and of no value. I would therefore kindly request you to allow us the space to conduct the investigation properly.”
Not wasting time, Etomi fired back in return on the same December 6, 2023, stating: “Let me remind you that when you spoke to me it was more about how this matter can be suppressed and I told you very clearly that I would not stand for that.”
Another mail from Simon Ani to Ernest and Otubu on December 13, 2023 shed more light to the ongoing squabble, after he wrote, his own epistle, part of which read: Ernest you have a good point and I agree with you, but you will also note that George (Etomi) has called for a WPG meeting on the 19th and this matter is already listed on the agenda. And in one of George’s (Etomi) mails, to Dere (Otubu), George has already said he will recuse himself/ But your point was in order.
“Chairman D (Otubu) I’m sorry to say but honestly, I think your mails are ill-advised and inappropriate for two reasons. WPG has written earlier this year to all of us Directors on Eko Board, clarifying that we are there representing WPG’s interest.
“WPG employed all senior management. Wola is one of them. And under the O&M Agreement, WPG has overall supervisory responsibility for Eko. The moment we undermine constitutes authority, we also in the process create room for our own authority to be undermined.”
But Otubu, unrelenting in a mail dates Dec 28, 2023 to Tunji Olowolafe entitled: Terms of reference for investigation committee, wrote: Dear Chairman HR, I refer to the directive of the board for the HR Committee to investigate the allegations made against the CL, Pls find attached the terms of reference.
But Egeregor in a mail same day expressed divergent opinions to the mails on ‘Terms of reference for the investigation committee.
He wrote: Dr-(Chairman Investigation Committee), I feel I should urgently raise my objections on the mail you sent to us which had an email trail from Mr. Dere Otubu highlighting what he (Otubu) referred to as ‘Terms of Reference.’ It might interest you to know that this supposed Terms of Reference emanating from Mr. Otubu is at best, his sole idea and completely at variance with the board resolution asking us to investigate the CLO and the allegations of ghost workers as raised by the MD.
In another mail by Egeregor later the same day, he wrote: Dr. Please deliberating on this extraneous Terms of Reference as singularly and surreptitiously introduced by Mr Otubu who openly admitted to being conflicted will be tantamount to delonerating on falsehood and illegality.”
On January14, 2024, Otubu wrote to Sanda: I acknowledge receipt of your message about the information in Sahara Reporters relating to the petition of ghost workers. Kindly note that as MD, your primary responsibility is to protect the company from attacks such as this. You are kindly instructed to take action and protect the integrity and image of the company, the directors, shareholders and all stakeholders from such attacks.’
Sanda on January 15, 2024 replied to Otubu: “Thank you for your below mail, and trusting this email meets you well. As the MD, I have at all times taken steps to ensure the protection of the company’s integrity and brand, which was why I initiated the ghost workers queries in the first place after I was alerted by a whistleblower within the company and did some investigations.
“There can be no doubt whatever of my understanding of the MD’s role and my consistent defence of the company at all times, whether in crises such as the present matter or in relation to NERC or any other party. I always protect the integrity and image of the company at all times and continue to do so unflinchingly.
“However, it is clear that the staff are anxious to know how the matter will be investigated and decided. This has been their clamour since this matter was escalated to me in November 2023.
“There is a feeling of resentment amongst staff at the way the company handled previous instance of job abandonment for a relatively small amount, yet here, a senior officer has been accused on a similar issue, and for such larger sums of money, yet no visible actions. There is a strong and growing perception of injustice and double standards.”
Hours after Mohammed Hayatu-Deen did, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, on Tuesday, also flatly rejected the outcome of the presidential primaries, of the African Democratic Congress, alleging widespread voter disenfranchisement and electoral malpractice.
Amaechi former Minister of Transportation and former Governor of Rivers State, described the announced results as “concocted,” insisting that the process failed to meet the standards of transparency and fairness earlier promised by the party.
He said in a statement: “I unequivocally reject the concocted results being announced,” Amaechi stated.
He said he had previously maintained that he would only accept the outcome of the primaries if the process was free, fair and transparent, stressing that the exercise did not reflect the democratic values the ADC claimed to represent.
“I will not accept results from a process that does not reflect the values that the ADC had pledged to uphold, to rescue Nigerians from the impunity and gross mismanagement that our country is currently facing in the hands of the ruling party,” he said.
Amaechi alleged that a significant number of party members were denied the opportunity to vote during the exercise.
“There’s no way that about eighty percent of members of the party were not allowed to vote, and you expect me to accept such results,” he stated.
The former Rivers State governor questioned the moral basis of the ADC criticising the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over alleged electoral malpractice while allegedly engaging in similar conduct internally.
“A party that criticizes the ruling APC and INEC for vote buying, rigging and writing of results, cannot be engaged in vote buying, writing of results, and other electoral malpractices that leads to the disenfranchisement of voters who are party members. This is not acceptable!” he declared.
Amaechi said the ADC was envisioned as a platform to amplify the voices of ordinary Nigerians and provide credible political alternatives irrespective of ethnicity, religion or social background.
His rejection of the outcome is expected to deepen tensions within the opposition party following the conclusion of its presidential primary election.
“These timeless virtues of devotion, selflessness, and submission to divine will are values our nation desperately needs today,” were the exact words with which Godswill Akpabio, attempted to rouse Nigerians to the ethos of unquestionable faith and service to the country.
Akpabio, Chairman of the National Assembly, who drew example from Prophet Ibrahim, admonished Nigerians to emulate his unwavering faith, obedience, and willingness to sacrifice for the sake of Almighty Allah.
The Senate President, who conveyed his sentiments via a statement by Eseme Eyiboh, also used the specifically hail President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, his vice, Kashim Shettima and Muslim faithful in Nigeria and around the world as they celebrate Eid El Kabir.
Stressing that the occasion called for prayer and sober reflection on the theme of sacrifice, he added: “This sacred occasion reminds us of Prophet Ibrahim’s unwavering faith, obedience, and willingness to sacrifice for the sake of Almighty Allah.
“To our dear President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, his vice, Senator Kashim Shettima and Muslim brothers and sisters, I felicitate with them on behalf of my family, constituents and the Senate on this blessed Eid. May the lessons of sacrifice, compassion, and generosity that define this season strengthen your faith and bring peace to your homes.
“As you share with the less privileged and extend love to neighbours of all faiths, you embody the true spirit of Nigeria. To all Nigerians, I urge us to use this solemn period to pray fervently for peace, security, and prosperity in our land. Let us pray for our troops in the frontlines, for farmers to return safely to their fields, and for unity to prevail over division in our Nation.
“Eid El Kabir also calls us to deep reflection on the future of our country. Just as Prophet Ibrahim was tested, Nigeria is in a season of testing. The sacrifices we make today in patience, in tolerance and in choosing hope over despair will determine the Nigeria our children inherit.
“The Renewed Hope Agenda of this administration, supported by the National Assembly, is anchored on that same principle: that meaningful progress often requires collective sacrifice.
“May Almighty Allah accept your prayers and sacrifices. May He heal our land, guide our leaders, and bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Barka da Sallah. Eid Mubarak.”
“I will not be attending the announcement of the ADC Presidential Election Results today. I am concerned by reports from across the country of widespread vote rigging, some of which I myself observed, and will therefore be taking advice on my next steps.”
These were the exact words of Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, one of the presidential aspirants of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), with which he cast a slur on the ongoing presidential primaries of the party, hinging his position on reports of fraud trailing the exercise.
Hayatu-Deen, a second timer in the search for the nation’s number one job, ran against Atiku Abubakar, Nigeria’s former Vice President and Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi, former Minister of Transportation.
In a statement on his assessment of the exercise which began on Monday, the renowned economist Chairman of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG), used his X platform to convey his dissatisfaction with the process.
The ADC which said the collation for the exercise would take place in Abuja had urged aspirants, party leaders, delegates, and members to conduct themselves peacefully and uphold party unity.
Bolaji Abdullahi, its spokesman, who described the exercise as a defining moment for both the ADC and Nigerians seeking a credible political alternative, maintained that it remained committed to internal democracy and a transparent leadership selection process.
“The ADC remains proud to stand today as the only truly democratic party in Nigeria because it is the only political party whose choice of presidential candidate is determined through open primaries,” he said adding that the conduct of aspirants and party members during the exercise would reflect the leadership culture the ADC seeks to promote.
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