Comrade Basheer Obabiyi, THE Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta Chairman of the Senior Staff Association of Universities, Teaching Hospitals, Research Institute and Associated Institutions, SSAUTHRIAI
has disclaimed a petition against him alleging that he diverted the sum of N190 million meant to purchase 58 cars for union members to personal pocket.
Obabiyi said this in response to a petition by one Abayomi Arabambi alleging him of involving in fraud and diversion of funds meant for his union members.
Arabambi who is the Chairman Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC), South-West, Abayomi Arabambi had petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) asking the agency to investigate the alleged diversion of public fund by Mr Adeyemi OLUSENI Vaughan and five other staff of Federal Medical Centre(FMC),Abeokuta.
The petition written on October, 2021 and received by the Economic and Crimes Commission(EFCC), the Attorney General and Minister for justice ,Minister of State for health Dr Olorunibe Mamowora, The Permanent Secretary ministry of health and the Director Hospital Services on October 18,2021,with attachment of evidences by the petitioner listed nine alleged crimes against the said officials.
The other allegations as contained in the petition include: stealing, conspiracy, obtaining money under false pretence, gross violation of public service rules, joint unprecedented fraud and monumental economic and financial crimes.
But the SSAUTHRIAI chairman in his response described the petition against him as false and unfounded.
Taking this reporter back to the threshold of how the purchase and allegation began, Obabiyi narrated: “There was nothing of such.
He further said, “In 2020 August, the journey started where a company called White Horse capital limited, the chief executive of the company came into FMC and approached my union that he’s into supply of cars to associations, unions and interested individuals. And we invited him to our executive meeting and we had three consecutive meetings with the CEO, Dr Paul Oyeneka Nde.”
The SSAUTHRIAI chair added that the White Horse company boycotted the agreement between them.
Obabiyi explained that the term of delivery was that after parts payment (30%) is been made, the delivery will begin till the remaining payment (70%) will made within 3 years’ time.
He added that the White Horse CEO, Dr Oyeneka has been playing against the terms of agreement after the payment of 22 million naira (30%) was made to the account of the company.
He also disclosed that since then, November 2020, only two cars, a Nissan Micra and Rav 4, 99 model, had been delivered instead of the 58 cars agreement.
“Along the line, we reached an agreement that any value of the vehicle chosen by any of our members, 30% of the value of the car will be paid to the company while the remaining 70% will be spread over 36 months for repayment. And having done this, and we reached out to our members and they subscribed. At the end of the day, we paid the sum of 22 million naira to the confer of the company. And this money was paid twice.
“We first paid the one of the executive,thereafter the paid that of the members for the sum of 58 cars totally.
“The agreement was that the effective day of the payment will determine when those cars will be delivered. And the agreement was all or before 6 to 8 weeks after the payment, they will deliver the cars. And we waited till the expiration of that time.
“The money was paid in September 2020 and in November of that same year, towards the expiration of the agreement, I received a call from the chief executive of the company that driver is coming from Lagos to deliver some of these cars. And I ran from where I was that day to FMC to received the cars. And that very day, only one car out of the 58 was delivered; which was Nissan Micra”.
He further said the union has reported the case to anti-corruption agencies in Abuja, where the dealer’s company is situated.
“And thereafter we started putting up a call calling him that where are the others, series of excuses were given.
“Two weeks after, total Rav 4, 99 model also was delivered. Making two vehicles delivered out of the 58 cars. Since then, there wasn’t any delivery again from the company.
“So we started calling and visiting the head office at Abuja pressurising them on how to deliver.
“In February, we went to there head office at Abuja. Myself and one of the executive went there. We went there to shoot on them, abuse them, this and that. And they promised to come back to Abeokuta to have a meeting with us and which they did in early February and they promised that on all before February, delivery will commence. But reverse was the case.
“And since then, they’ve been promising upon promising all unfulfilled.
“So when we now discovered that they were just promising us and at the exco level, we all decided that we have to take a drastic step. And what was the drastic step was that we need to write to security agency that we know who can help us out to fight this battle because it got to a time they failed to pick our calls again.
“And there then, we now put up a letter titled “save our souls; referring supplies of fairly used cars to members of senior staff association, outright to Federal medical center, Abeokuta by White horse company, Abuja”, he added.
He however vowed to sue Arabambi for accusing him without having information about the union activities.
He noted that Arabambi has soiled the name of the National Chairman of the Association, among other things.
He added, “I want to see the petitioner as a disgruntled element in the political arena who I cannot point to any of good integrity of the fellow. For for the fact that he mentioned in his petition that I collected 190 millions from members of staff here; which is very contrary to what was paid to the company’s account. That one alone showed that the man could be insane or maybe he’s being sponsored by somebody because he himself could not have the fact and figure of what a petition mean and the union for.
“I will appreciate if he can come up with -because he claimed that he has his fact in that matter- and show me where that 190 millions was paid into and to who.
“And he equally mentioned in his petition that the president of the senior staff association, which refer to the national president of the association, which has never had anything to do with matter.
“He has even soiled the image of my national president who has nothing to do with this cat-scheme. And I don’t see him to be somebody who is worthy of a good reputation or, a person I can call with a gold character”.
He further disclosed that the association would take legal against the petitioner for the wrong allegations.
“We are working on taking a legal action on this matter because he raised some issues there which we found that they are no where to be found. That is to say he says I collected 190 millions.
“He needs to substantiate that. He even referred to my national president that he used the name of the union to fraud members of staff.
“We are taking legal action against Arabambi Abayomi”, Obabiyi concluded.
