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Civil Society Group Accuses NEITI Of Manipulation, Disenfranchisement Of Eligible Members
They refused to publish the names of CSOs in the database supplied by NEITI, but we compelled them to publish it.
The Publish What You Pay (PWYP), a leading Global Coalition in Extractives Transparency and Accountability advocacy (Nigerian Coalition) has accused the Nigerian Extractives Industry Transparency Initiative (NEITI), of secret recruitment of Seventy (70) staff conducted by NEITI in which some of those newly recruited were family.
The group disclosed this in a statement, on Tuesday, 7 February 2023, by the National Coordinator of PWYP, Comrade Taiwo Otitolaye.
According to Mr Otitlaye, NEITI staff is meddling in the nomination of a Civil Society representative into the Board. This is in contravention of the global EITI standard and Civil Society Protocol the agency was established to implement.
“Following the resignation of Mr. Peter Egbule as civil society representative from NEITI Board in December 2022 after a one-year protest by civil society actors that his appointment was flawed, the CSOs met on 25th of January, 2023 and put in place a process for his replacement.
“At that meeting, attempts by NEITI Staff who coordinated the meeting to force an election that day was
rejected by the majority of the civil society actors at the meeting who prefer an independent platform devoid any form of interference to elect their representative. This led to the composition of a five-person CSOs Electoral Committee saddled with the responsibility of organizing the election.
“NEITI supplied the committee with a list of CSOs engaging in the EITI process from its database. Upon scrutiny, it was discovered that NEITI excluded several CSOs working in the extractive sector many of which were members of PWYP and non-members as well.
This led to complaints and agitation among CSOs, accusing NEITI of deliberately disenfranchisement and exclusion.
He said PWYP sent a formal letter to the Executive Secretary, to help resolve this issue of exclusion, but this effort did not yield any positive results.
“Before this development, PWYP and Open Alliance were at the forefront of demanding explanations for a SECRET RECRUITMENT of Seventy (70) staff conducted by NEITI in which some of those newly recruited were family members of NEITI Board and management staff.
The National Coordinator of PWYP National explained that Several attempts by Faith Nwadishi to manipulate the election process were checkmated by committee members and some members of the larger civil society.
“Firstly, they refused to publish the names of CSOs in the database supplied by NEITI, but we compelled them to publish it.
“Secondly, they said Kingsley Ozegbe is not on NEITI DATABASE. We showed them the NEITI civil society nomination policy GUIDELINE, and proof to them that he is standing for election on the platform of PWYP. They added his name, accredited him and he was competing in the election.
“Thirdly, in the middle of the election, they came up again with another manipulation that three (3) names will be forwarded to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), again we showed them item 3(c) of the NEITI civil society nomination policy GUIDELINE which stated that ONLY ONE NOMINATED PERSON shall be forwarded to the SGF, again, their Self serving intentions were defeated after several CSOs kicked against it.
“Fourthly, and the last ignoble display of their undemocratic action, Faith Nwadishi REMOVED KINGSLEY OZEGBE CANDIDATE OF THE PWYP FROM THE LIST OF CANDIDATES TWO hours to the close of voting after four days of online voting by the CSOs.
He stated that two members of the Committee, the Ag. Secretary, Kabiru Gabar of the electoral committee and Dr. Hashim Ahmad, a member of the committee have publicly dissociated themselves from the removal. They have categorically distanced themselves from the removal of Kingsley Ozegbe from the list, saying that Faith did it unilaterally without consulting them.
Mr Otitolaye said Kingsley Ozegbe is leading in the votes casted hence, the removal of his name.
Flowing from these manipulations, undemocratic display of power and uncertainty in the process which supports the shrinking of the civic space, and the insistence on imposing a pre-determined candidate, the PWYP, Nigeria condemn in strong term and therefore have dissociated itself from the kangaroo electoral PROCESS.
“We shall only participate in an open, accountable and transparent process to elect a credible civil society representative into the NEITI Board as required by law,” Mr Otitolaye added.
The Statement was signed by Comrade Taiwo Otitolaye National Coordinator PWYP, Mallam Haruna Hadejia Adamu, Zonal Coordinator North West, Ayodeji Alabi, Zonal Coordinator North Central, Dr. Kelechukwu Okezie, Zonal Coordinator South East, Dr. Joseph Gimbal, Zonal Coordinator North East, Mrs. Mary Ajayi, Zonal Coordinator South West, Jim Dorgu, Zonal Coordinator South-South.
