By Jude Atupulazi
The Association of Retired Directors, Deputy Directors and other Officers of the Anambra State Public Service (ARDOS) has called on Dr Anthony Ugozor to step down his third tenure ambition and allow a new face to lead the Union ahead of its elections on July 18 this year.
In a press statement signed by its Chairman, Sir Fidelis Ezeike, and Secretary, Sir Azuka Okeke, made Available to Fides as a sequel to a story published by the paper, purporting the clearing of Ugozor to contest for the Chairmanship of the Union once again, the association berated Ugozor for having what it termed the effrontery to contest for third term in office, after serving as Chairman for nine years. The association described his third term aspiration as unconstitutional.
It said the Union’s constitution stipulated that the State Executive Council should be dissolved every four years and new officers elected; and that no candidate for any elective office should be allowed to stay in office for more than two terms consecutively.
‘Consequently, Chief Ugozor, having occupied the position of Chairman from 2016 to 2025, has over-stayed more than 2 terms of 8 years by additional 1 year. Therefore, he is not qualified to contest or organize any election, since it will be unconstitutional and illegal to perform those functions. Therefore, the purported letter from the NUP National Headquarters authorizing the participation of Dr. Ugozor in the election, remains null and void and of no effect whatsoever, as far as our Association is concerned,’ ARDOS maintained.
‘It is trite to let the pensioners of Anambra State know the truth of the matter of Dr. Athony Ugozor’s quest for re-election as the Anambra State Chapter of the NUP Chairman for a third term. The Chairman, NUP Anambra State Chapter, was co-opted (not elected) into the NUP Exco in the year 2016 by the late Chairman, Comrade Maduka. Chief Ugozor was appointed as Acting Chairman in 2016 following Comrade Maduka’s demise and he continued to function as Acting Chairman for a period of five years (2016-2021).
‘Chief Ugozor was subsequently elected as substantive Chairman and he assumed office on 20th July, 2021. He has therefore, occupied the position of Chairman NUP Anambra State Chapter for nine years (2016-2025). This was after serving as Chairman at the NUT and NLC Chapters respectively for a period of 16 years (8 years in each union),’ the statement read.
‘He, Ugozor, still has the effrontery to continue to vie for election into the NUP for a third tenure. Let pensioners judge whether he is the only wise person in the entire Anambra State to have such privilege.
This is why the Association of Retired Directors which came to being in late 2024 is opposing his re-election continually, the purported Headquarters clearance not withstanding; let Chief Ugozor have his rest and let another person take up the office, come July 18, 2025. He should not contest. It is unconstitutional for him to do so,’ the statement further read.
ARDOS alleged that Chief Ugozor converted the NUP Anambra State Chapter into a family business by appointing his biological son, Mr. Emmanuel Ugozor, as NUP Finance Officer since 2019, noting that it contravened the NUP Law and Public Service Rules, good conscience, equity and fairness.
It said this had embarrassed the members of the Association of Retired Directors, Deputy Directors and other Staff of the Anambra Public Service; even as it expressed worry that the NUP Anambra State Council was mismanaged administratively, financially and otherwise. It said this was why they petitioned the National Headquarters of the NUP and the Anambra State Government.
It regretted that the Union’s check-off dues were being wasted on frivolous court litigations by the Chapter, noting that the NUP Anambra State was in court with the Permanent Secretaries.
‘The Permanent Secretaries won the court case and out of ill-feeling for same mal-administration of the Chapter, the Permanent Secretaries Association has started taking care of their own affairs. It will be emphasized that membership of any organization, whatsoever, is voluntary. One is free to opt out if he wishes; so, there is no room for stomaching insults from anyone in NUP leadership,’ the statement read.
It further regretted that Chief Ugozor and his Excos had not achieved anything positive in respect of the harmonization and upward review of pensions since 9 years (2016-2025) when he had continued to pilot the affairs of the union, adding that pension review was carried out last in 2003.
Describing Ugozor’s Exco as moribund, it accused it of collecting check-off-dues and utilizing it for their selfish ends, without placing demands for harmonization of pensioners on the government of the day as it ought to do for many years.
‘Since minimum wage was discussed and passed last year, and the least paid serving officer is now paid not less than N70, 000, pensioners in Anambra State are still receiving peanuts as pension.
‘Ugozor’s acclaimed achievements of seeing that pension is paid regularly, N10, 000 ex-gratia award given, are all nothing to write home about in the face of galloping inflation the hunger-stricken, old and sick pensioners, some of whom are widows/widowers, are facing.
It further accused the Ugozor-led Exco of not speaking up for the Union, even during Workers’ Day Celebrations, noting also that since minimum wage came into being and extant circulars kept coming from Salaries and Wages Commission for review of pensions in the state, nothing tangible had been done by Ugozor’s 9-year Exco.
‘Pensioners generally are unhappy and the Association of Retired Directors is giving expression to that. For the information of pensioners of Anambra State, the Association of Retired Directors, Deputy Directors and other Staff of the Anambra State Public Service led a delegation to the Head of Service of Anambra State in January 2025 and discussed the plight of pensioners of Anambra State in general and never on the skewed interest of the body as alleged.
‘At the meeting, we submitted a petition on the topic, “A Call for Harmonisation and Upward Review of Pensions in Anambra State”. This petition was dated 30th January, 2025. Response to this petition is still awaited.
Therefore, the assertion by Dr. Ugozor in his publication that “… his only sin was not buying into what he described as discriminatory classification of pensioners between retired Directors and other pensioners …” is a falsehood designed to taint the good image and intentions of the Directors for ulterior motive.
‘Individual pensioners of Anambra State Public Services who are suffering in silence can attest to this. Dr Ugozor has no right whatsoever to apply for re-election for third tenure. Delegates to the election of 18th July, 2025, should note all these and vote him out if he persists in contesting still,’ the association stated in the statement, insisting on its disagreement with Ugozor’s stance, as published in this paper earlier.
It maintained its resolve to take all legitimate measures in seeking for implementation of the provisions of Section 2010(3) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended which states that pensions shall be reviewed every five years or together with any civil service salary reviews whichever is earlier, noting that pension was last reviewed in Anambra State in 2003.
‘Again, our aim is to provide a forum for promoting brotherly love, unity and social intervention among yourselves, and, thirdly, to pay true allegiance to the authorities of the Anambra State Government, including the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) in which we are bona-fide members.
‘We hereby state that hurling insults at us as “disgruntled elements”, and so on, is not enough to force us out of the Union of Pensioners, Anambra State Chapter. We remain bona-fide members who are ready to participate in the election of 18th July, 2025 and enthronement of an ethical, credible and responsive Exco in the Anambra State Chapter of the NUP,’ the statement concluded.
