Alliance Law
Firm, lawyers representing the suspended Executive Secretary of the National
Health Insurance Scheme, Prof. Usman Yusuf, on Thursday, described as false,
news that its client sued the presidency.
The Managing
Partner of Alliance, Dr Uche Val-Obi (SAN), in a statement in Lagos, said that
his client pledged his continued loyalty to the President Muhammadu Buhari and
would fully cooperate with the incoming Director, Mr Ben Omogo.
“Our
attention has been drawn to the false news making rounds that our client, Prof.
Usman Yusuf, the Executive Secretary of NHIS, has taken the Presidency to Court
over his purported suspension by the Governing Board.
“As Counsel
to Prof. Yusuf, we wish to place on record that there is no iota of truth in
this story, and that he has not taken the President or the Secretary to the
Government of the Federation to Court as alleged.
“Instead,
our Client had, through our firm, approached the Federal High Court vide an
originating summons filed on 29th October 2018 in Suit No.
FHC/ABJ/CS/1220/2018, with him as Plaintiff while NHIS, Hon. Minister of
Health, and Attorney General were named as defendants.
“By this
action, he was essentially seeking the judicial interpretation and
determination of certain questions pertaining the propriety or otherwise of the
Governing Council’s action in suspending him from office without Presidential
approval or due process.”
He said that
having received a letter from the SGF conveying a presidential directive that
he proceeds on administrative leave, his client welcomed the presidential
intervention and remained obligated to fully and strictly comply with the
directives.
According to
Val-Obi, Yusuf will accordingly be proceeding on the Administrative Leave with
effect from Monday, November 5, to give room to the Independent Fact-Finding
Panel, set up to carry out its important task of investigation.
“In view of
this development, to ensure that there is no interference with the work and
finding of the panel and as instructed by our client, we shall be taking prompt
steps to suspend the pending legal proceedings aforesaid,” he said.
Comments