A CRY FOR JUSTICE

Pebbles with Igbotako Nowinta.

‘‘Nigerians must begin to rise above the mentality of slave imposed on us, within the individual psyche. No wonder some cynics call the present democratic dispensation as: demonstration of craze. Genuine Nigerians must learn to move out of today’s meaningless democracy”- Quoted in Where We Are (pages 106/107).

How many Nigerians know that there is a Public Complaints Commission (PCC) statutorily put in place by the Federal Government of Nigeria?

How many oppressed citizens of the Federal Republic of Nigeria know that the House of Representatives in Abuja has a special committee called: Committee on Public Petitions CPP?

The above mentioned bodies came into being as a result of heart wrenching cases of gross violation of people/citizens’ fundamental human rights to fair hearing, gainful employment, outright official and malicious victimization etc., from government departments or  agencies.

I started by asking the questions above because many citizens have had to die pitilessly because of some wicked actions by fellow colleagues, and many are still passing through some form of crises emanating from official victimization from fellow civil servants.

I am privileged to know severe and several cases of excruciating/ traumatic victimizations which many helpless and hapless Nigerians are going through because of my exposure as a university-trained Peace and Conflict Resolution practitioner.

One of my clients was maliciously sacked from his lecturing job in one of the first generation universities, and we ultimately approached the Public Complaints Commission (PCC), through the Edo State office, in Benin City, Nigeria. The PCC did a painstaking and wonderful investigation of the matter, even in the face of harsh attitudes from the said University authorities, and came up with a report that favored my client.

To cut the long story short, the PCC wrote series of letters to the said Vice-chancellor of the university where my client was heartlessly laid off without committing any fraudulent act, for immediate reinstatement.

To the chagrin of the PCC officials, the said Vice-chancellor bluntly refused to honor the request and honest findings of the PCC.

As I pen this piece, the matter is presently with the House of Representatives Special Committee on Public Petitions, in Abuja.

Now, the CPP has concluded its reports, but has refused for reason best known to it, to forward its report to the floor of the Federal House of Representatives. Painfully, my client is in abyss of trauma because the House of Representatives will soon wind up its activities for next general election slated for February 2015.

This is where we are in a democratic country, as getting justice even through Federal Government statutorily set up avenues has become like passing through the eye of the needle.

Someone was telling me recently that if we had known, we would have channeled the matter through the Industrial Court, as my client has a good case of malicious victimization.

Now, a case of alleged wrongful dismissal from service and appeal for reinstatement has been successfully handled by the PCC, involving also, one of my clients.

This will interest readers. My client, Mr. Abayomi O. Shoyombo was given “notice of dismissal from office of the Federal Ministry of Internal Affairs with Ref No. C. PB374/1 dated May 25, 2006 but was not issued until December 7, 2013 (seven years after) yet he was discharging his normal duties without payment of salary.”

In October, 2014, the PCC was forced to do a letter to the Comptroller General, Nigeria Immigration Service, Abuja.

Here are excerpts: “Much as the Ombudsman would not want to go into details on the observed lapses, it is clear that if the complainant deserved dismissal from service, it could not have been possible for him to pass through all the processes of many years as dismissed staff earning salary.

It is our hope that in the interest of justice and equity you will recall the complainant or retire him from service and the Ombudsman informed accordingly”.

From the grapevine, I gathered that my client is not getting the urgently needed attention from the House of Representatives Special Committee on Public Petitions, because the said university authorities has allegedly taken “Ghana must to bags” (bags filled with money)to the place to influence things. What a country!

Now, if the Public Complaints Commission (presidency) has been granted fuller powers, we would not have gone to the House of Representatives in Abuja to seek justice.

It is hoped that on the case of Mr. Abayomi O. Shoyombo, the Comptroller General, Nigeria Immigration Service, Headquarters, Sauka, Abuja will be civilized and considerate enough to either recall or retire him from service, as dully advised by the PCC.

In a country where citizens are groaning uncontrollably and suffering miserably, all men of goodwill should join the campaign for the PCC Act to be amended, so that a clause will be added to its powers to compel government’s departments and other institutions to obey its finding without any hesitation.

This is the only way that our present democracy will be meaningful to millions of Nigerians being traumatized by the satanic actions of colleagues and superiors.

Nowinta wrote where we are – a call for democratic revolution in Nigeria