JUST IN: CDHR NEC Upholds Suspension Of National President By Edo Branch

…Pass Vote Of Confidence On Vice President

By Daniel Dafe

The Edo State branch of the Committee For the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR) has suspended the National President, Dr. Osagie Obayuwana, a decision that has been upheld and ratified by the group’s National Executive Committee (NEC).

Obayuwana was suspended because he imposed executive for the Edo State branch, as the body in the state also alleged that those he made members of the executive without an election are his loyalists and a large number of them are not even registered members of the body.

A statement signed by the group’s General Secretary, Comrade James Chibuzo Chikwendu, said the national executive ratified and upheld the decision of the Edo State branch based on a recent video clip in circulation on how “Dr. Osagie Obayuwana singlehandedly conducted a kangaroo election/appointment into the offices of Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer and Publicity Secretary which they said is unconstitutional.

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The statement which was on behalf of the majority of the national leaders said: “The position of Publicity Secretary is not enshrined in the constitution branches as it can be seen in Section 17 branch officers and their functions.”

Continuing, the leaders said: “It is clearly shown from the video clip that he was the convener, the coordinator and the moderator to the kangaroo election to which the attendees were only your loyalist. We did not see any election but persons who were called up by you to say a little about themselves and from their introduction it was only one person that is your personal assistant who by interaction knows a little about CDHR, and not a registered member.

“The imposed chairman of Edo State branch of CDHR in his speech said he has interest in CDHR not that he has registered as a member. If there were to be election, the outgoing state chairman would have made a hand over speech to the members of the state branch (CDHR).

“From the foregoing therefore we see from the video clip that it was a purported election that any reasonable citizen would have deducted same.”

The NEC said from “Section 12 subsection 2, since your own state branch /Unit do not recognize you and to the extent of suspending you indefinitely, being the supposed president of CDHR since you did not cease to hold branch/unit office as seen from the video clip were you conveyed, coordinated and moderated as a state chairman, we therefore uphold the indefinite suspension on you by your state branch of Edo State even as a president of CDHR.”

Meanwhile, NEC said that other offences of Dr. Osagie Obayuwana include his “unilateral decision of spending and disbursement of the organization fund without reference to national council or NEC which is a total violation of section 10 subsection 2(a) Also section 11 subsection 2(i) (j).”

NEC also described the suspended president as high-handed, adding that this “has caused disunity and dismay thereby making the organization to be on a stand still without making progress.”

This, the national leaders said “is an affront violation of section 19 (1) of CDHR constitution where you refused simple majority and verbally said to the hearing of every NEC member present that every decision must not come from the CDHR constitution on the floor of the inconclusive purported NEC meeting of 8th August 2020 at Benin Edo State.

“Dr. Osagie Obayuwana has been in violation of section 10 (3) and bluntly refused to attend the NEC emergency meeting schedule to hold on the 26th of January 2021 at Abuja by so doing rescinded the effect of the CDHR constitution and ever since then have neglected, refused and rejected to convene a NEC meeting for the conclusion of the inconclusive purported NEC meeting of 8th August 2020 nor called fresh NEC meeting,’ they said.

Furthermore, they passed a vote of no confidence on him, adding that they have lost trust, faith and confidence in Dr. Osagie Obayuwana’s ability to lead the organization.

“Dr. Osagie Obayuwana has established a pattern and practice of fragrant abuse of powers by intimidation of NEC members. He lacks leadership management and poor decision which is capable of tearing CDHR apart,” they added.

NEC said the suspension takes effect from 26th of January, 2021, saying that he has the right to appeal to the National Council, as they commended the National Vice President, Comrade Kehinde Taiga, and also passed a vote of confidence on him.