The Governing Council of Chartered Institute of Project Managers of Nigeria, (CIPMN) Friday urged President Muhammadu Buhari to call the Minister of Trade and Investment, Otunba Niyi Adebayo to order.

CIPMN further tasked the President to  intervene in what it describes as usurpation of its functions by the Minister in collaboration with some officials of the ministry.

The institute in a open letter to the President accused the Minister of abusing his office and going ultra-vires by circumventing provisions of CIPMN for personal gains.

Solicitors of the Institute, Mr  Edward-Ekpo in the letter avers that, the council was constrained to write an open letter to President Buhari due lack of response to  earlier two correspondences sent to him, on the same issue. 

The letter stated that what has become a full scale blatant impunity and violation of the provisions of the extant law establishing CIPMN  started when two staffers of the ministry approached Chairman of the Governing Council to  'create an accounting system (in support of the Ministry) to get funds from the federal government in a way that will benefit the responsible officials of the ministry, and the chairman'. It added that, by turning down the corrupt proposal, by Henry Ifeanyi Mbadiwe was claimed to have been sent by Dr. Mimi Abu, Deputy Director, Development, Planning and Research, and Mr. D.A Muhammad, former Director Legal Services, pinched her against the ministry.

Consequently, a letter purported to be a ministerial directive on the 4th March, 2021, made Henry Mbadiwe new head of administration of CIPMN,   and also directed the take over of the account, as well as human resources management departments by the ministry.

 It alleged that the decision was "in clear contravention of Section 23 of the Act, and that the ministry taking over the accounting system and human resources management of the Institute, in clear contravention of Sections 6-8 of the CIPMN  Act. 

"Upon receipt of a letter signed by Director legal service of the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, purported to be Minister’s Letter of Directives in clear contravention of the provisions of CIPMN Act, the Council was shocked to see in Paragraph 2 of the said letter that the ministry official who signed the letter said the Minister relied on a falsely claimed  Council’s meeting held on 10th day of February , 2021 to issue the said letter of Directives, claiming it was adoption of resolution of majority of Council members, while in reality, there was no meeting of Council held on such date – 10th February, 2021 in line with Paragraph 5 (1) of the First Schedule to the CIPMN Act. 

"This was a direct coup to impeach the provisions of the law and override the law to get what they wanted, a naked attempt to usurp the powers of the Governing Council clearly donated by the Act establishing CIPMN" the letter posited. 

The CIPMN also alleged that the Minister is attempting to dissolve the CIPMN's governing council and forcefully impose Dr. Mimi Abu as the Sole Administrator of the Institute and Henry Mbadiwe as the Registrar. 

"It is alleged that the said officials of the Ministry had drawn up memo (s) written for them by their privy, Mr.  Henry Mbadiwe, and passed same memo for approval by the Minister to despatch same to Secretary to Government of the Federation, (SGF) seeking dissolution of CIPMN’s Governing Council and appointment of their stooge as sole administrator of CIPMN as well as imposition of Mr. Henry Mbadiwe as Registrar of CIPMN. 

"We are informed that plot has been highly perfected that they are already celebrating...

"We have therefore written this open letter to you Sir, being an urgent call to seek your intervention as Chief Executive officer of the Federal Republic of Nigeria by calling all the officials of the FMITI to order, and to respect the Rule of Law and the provisions of the Chartered Institute of Project Managers of Nigeria (Establishment) Act No. 3 of 2018. We also call on you to sack the Minster of FMITI, Otunba Richard Adeniyi Adebayo, being an individual of such poor quality undeserving to be hold exalted office as minister of Federal Republic of Nigeria. 

"To restore dignity to your government and reinforce confidence of your corruption-free administration sir, the Head of Service is also invited to the facts of this case to subject Dr. Mimi Abu and other FMITI’s personnel involved to appropriate disciplinary processes. You are urged to withdraw such alleged illegal directive (if existing) appointing Dr. Mimi Abu or any other person as sole administrator of CIPMN. There is no law that allows such to be done in a professional body including CIPMN.. 

"As a leader who is prominently known as advocate for anti-corruption and the due process of law, we trust that you will intervene in this matter with the urgency it deserves" the letter averred.