Ifeanyi Ubah’s Detention: CNPP Backs Labour’s Calls on FG to Intervene

The Conference of Ni­geria Political Parties (CNPP) has supported the call by the United Labour Congress (ULC) for the release of the Chairman of Capital Oil and Gas Industries Limited, Dr. Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah, to pave the way for negotiations with the company’s manage­ment.

CNPP, the umbrella body of all registered political par­ties and associations in Nige­ria, also appealed to the Fed­eral Government to consider the fate of over 3,000 direct workers employed by Capital Oil and release the detained oil magnate or charge him to court for prosecution.

In a statement issued on Tuesday by its Secretary-General, Chief Willy Ezug­wu, CNPP said: “Like the ULC observed, the Federal Govern­ment’s promise to provide jobs and its desire to tackle unem­ployment in Nigeria will be a mirage if actions or inactions of the government leads to job loses or contribute to the wid­ening of the unemployment gap.

“As at today, more jobs have been lost in the private sector than the Federal Gov­ernment has created due to the harsh economic environment in the country as a result of the current recession.

“Our fears are that the con­tinued detention of the Cap­ital Oil Chairman without trial will not only lead to the sack of over 5,000 workers di­rectly and indirectly engaged by the company, but will also send frightening signals to for­eign investors that Nigeria is a country where the rule of law is scarce.

“No serious foreign inves­tor would invest in a country with history of detention with­out trial”, the CNPP stated.

While calling on Act­ing President Yemi Osinbajo to intervene in the matter to halt the looming massive job loss in the company and oth­er sister companies owned by Ubah, the CNPP said that the government must ensure that justice is seen to have been done in all cases involving its citizens at home and abroad.

“We are aware that the Federal Government is explor­ing diplomatic channels to in­tervene in cases involving Ni­gerians in some foreign lands. But it would amount to a joke taken too far if the same gov­ernment detains its citizens in­volved in a mere commercial transaction dispute indefinite­ly without opportunity to de­fend themselves in a court of competent jurisdiction.

“Acting President Yemi Osinbajo must save the Pres­ident Muhammadu Buhari administration from further damage to its reputation in the international community by releasing or charging Dr. Ifeanyi Ubah to court.

“It will be very shameful for the Federal Government to be seen as directly or indi­rectly contributing to further job losses in the country,” the CNPP noted.