PMAN Caretaker Committee denounces Okafor

CARETAKER Committee of the Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria (PMAN) has called on musicians across the country to ignore recent statements by a group that declares Pretty Okafor as PMAN president.

  In a statement signed by its chairman, Kevin Lucciano Gabriel, the association declared that the appointment of Pretty Okafor did not follow due process and so should be ignored by all well meaning Nigerians. It called on Okafor and his cohorts to stop parading themselves as PMAN’s representatives.

  “It is not business as usual any more. Pretty and his cohorts are hereby advised to stop parading themselves as PMAN officials or else the law will take its course. Nigerian musicians are fed up with these musicians.  

  “Let me state that the recent court judgment Pretty secured did not follow due process and as I speak to you. We are already addressing that issue. I want to use this opportunity to remind Nigerians and all PMAN stakeholders of the fact that it is only the Caretaker Committee that has been empowered by the Ministry of Labour and Productivity to conduct elections and run the affairs of PMAN and that contrary to earlier reports, no state PMAN executive has been dissolved. I am calling on all PMAN state executives to ignore the call. 

  “Besides, this matter is not within the jurisdiction of the court as it is a trade union issue and only the National Industrial Court has jurisdiction at this stage. The Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity, through the Registrar of Trade Unions endorsed the Caretaker Committee in a letter dated July 7, 2014”.

  The letter which was signed by Mbogu read in part: “I am by this letter reiterating the endorsement given to the Peace Initiative Committee, which has morphed into PMAN Caretaker Committee by the office of the Registrar of Trade Unions, Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity…the office is looking forward to the PMAN Caretaker Committee to salvage the image of PMAN and return it to the lost glory envisaged by the founding fathers.”

  Meanwhile, Lucciano revealed that the Caretaker Committee has filed a suit at the Federal High Court, Lagos, challenging Okafor’s appointment as PMAN president. In suit no FHC/L/CS/919/2012, the committee is calling on the court to set aside its earlier judgment of October 31 for want of jurisdiction. The case will be up for hearing on February 25.