Communiqué Issued At The End Of The General Assembly Meeting Of Edo State Civil Society Organisations

COMMUNIQUE ISSUED AT THE END OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY MEETING OF EDO STATE CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANISATIONS HELD ON THURSDAY 29TH MAY, 2014, AT
THE STATE SECRETARIAT- THE MASSES/LIBERTY HOUSE, 28A, ERIE STREET, OFF SOKPONBA ROAD, BENIN CITY.

The General Assembly of Edo State Civil Society Organisations met today Thursday 29th May, 2014, at an enlarge session to deliberate on and address key fundamental matters of the Organisation as it affect the good people of Nigeria resident in Edo State and the general public.

Agenda:

1. The State of the Organisation.

2. Review/ Update on Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC/NEPA)

Illegal #750 Fixed Charge and the Fraudulent Estimated Billings.

3. Matters arising from EDSOPADEC.

4. Any Other Business (A.O.B.).

Attendance:

Fifty three (53) affiliate Organisations representatives and other members were present.

It is instructive to note that at the end of constructive deliberations the following

resolutions were reached:

1. That the Leadership of Edo State Civil Society Organisations (ESCSO) led by highly respected, amiable, reliable, tested and trusted Comrade Kaduna Eboigbodin (a man with proven integrity, track records, a Unionist per excellence and a patriotic Nigerian) has not changed.

2. That the Secretariat of Edo State Civil Society Organisations (ESCSO) also known as the Masses/Liberty House at 28A, Erie Street has not been relocated and there is no plan for the now to relocate it.

3. That the good people of Nigeria resident in Edo State should ignore/disregard the rumour making the round that the Leadership of Edo State Civil Society Organisations and her Secretariat has been changed and relocated. The rumour is false, unfounded, baseless and deceitful.

4. That a petition be written to all security agencies and other relevant authorities with immediate effect to notify them of the illegal activities of few individuals who are trying by all means possible to drag the

highly exalted name and image of Edo State Civil Society Organisations (ESCSO) and the hard earned integrity and reputation of her members into the mud.

5. That Edo State Civil Society Organisations

(ESCSO) should organise a World Press Conference in response to the resolution reached by Edo State House of Assembly (EDHA) and Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission on the activities of Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) as it affect the fraudulent fixed charge and provoking estimated billings and other fundamental matters of urgent importance.

6. On matter arising from EDSOPADEC, the General Assembly unanimously agreed that all affiliate Organisations/ Associations/Unions/ individual members of Edo State Civil Society Organisations (ESCSO) have right to carry out their Organisational/ individual programmes/-activities independently but are prohibited from using the name/ letter head paper or logo of Edo State Civil Society Organisations (ESCSO).

7. That Comrade Iyamu Osaro, Marxist Kola Edokpayi and Prince Osazee Edigin and others are active registered members of Edo State Civil Society Organisations (ESCSO) but the group Concerned Citizens of Edo State that they are championing is an independent and a non affiliate of Edo State Civil Society Organisations (ESCSO) and as such the activities of Concerned Citizen of Edo State should be distanced/ separated from Edo State Civil Society Organisations (ESCSO) as it relates to EDSOPADEC.

8. That Comrade Curtis Ugbo and few others who are also active registered members of Edo State Civil Society Organisations (ESCSO) refused to attend the General

Assembly Meeting after due notification and invitation to come and prove their supposedly "Three Million Naira" allegations levelled against some members of Concerned Citizen of Edo State.

9. It is on records that whosoever assert must show a proof and since Comrade Curtis Ugbo and the few others refused to attend the General Assembly meeting it is now obvious that they (Curtis Ugbo and the few others) were just playing the minds game and by so doing deceiving the good people of Nigeria resident in Edo State and beyond with their false, unfounded and baseless allegations.

10. That Comrade Curtis Ugbo and the few others registered members of Edo State Civil

Society Organisations (ESCSO) are hereby suspended indefinitely for gross misconduct, act of indiscipline, false allegations and negative activities that are capable of bringing the highly exalted name and image of Edo State Civil Society Organisations (ESCSO) and the hard earned integrity and reputation of her members into disrepute and odium.

11. That the motion for the suspension of Comrade Curtis Ugbo and the few others

registered members was moved by Comrade (Pastor) Ebode Godwin of Gani Fawehinmi Movement for Good Governance and it was seconded by Comrade Gloria Noren of the Flagship Organisation and there was no counter motion to that effect.

12. Finally we call on the relevant security agencies as a matter of public importance and for posterity to investigate the activities of the suspended Comrade Curtis Ugbo and the few others which are nefarious in nature and threat to public peace and security.

Yours In Nation Building,

Comrade Kaduna
Eboigbodin

Interim Coordinator General,

Edo State Civil Society Organisations
(ESCSO)
Theophilus Ibodeme,
Interim Secretary General
Edo State Civil Society Organisations
(ESCSO).