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Ukorebi Esien | September 10, 2025
CALABAR — The Nigerian Union of Pensioners (NUP), Cross River State Council, on Tuesday witnessed a historic leadership transition as retired Chief Magistrate, Comrade Fedilia Okpo Ene bowed out as Chairperson after two years in office, paving the way for Comrade Effiong Ita Umo to emerge as the new State Chairman.
The election and swearing-in ceremony, which took place in Calabar, was supervised by the Deputy National Secretary of NUP from Abuja, ensuring transparency and credibility. Reverend Eno Bolaji Anani was also elected Vice-Chairman of the council.
In her valedictory remarks, Okpo Ene expressed joy at completing for ability to lead the union thus far, describing her leadership journey as both challenging and rewarding. She highlighted her major achievement as securing the release of ₦10 billion by Governor Bassey Otu for the payment of gratuities owed pensioners.
"Governor Otu has been a labor-friendly and pensioner-friendly governor. He has never disappointed us, and I remain grateful to him till tomorrow. Pensioners are very vulnerable, yet he has placed our welfare at the heart of his administration," she said.
Explaining her decision to step down, the former magistrate noted that her recent appointment to the Board of State Universal Education Board, SUBEB, made it necessary to relinquish union leadership. She advised her successor to maintain dialogue with government, stressing that pensioners, as elder statesmen and women, must prioritize negotiation over confrontation.
"Please, don't be confrontational to government. Dialogue and plead as pensioners. His Excellency is open to our problems and has never been found wanting," Okunye counseled.
The supervising national officer, the Deputy National Secretary of NUP, urged members to avoid litigation in resolving union matters.
"Don't waste your time going to court. Dialogue remains the only way to settle disputes within the union. Litigation only drains resources and divides members," he advised.
On his part, the new State Chairman, Comrade Effiong Umo, a seasoned unionist and former Special Adviser on Labor Matters to the Cross River State Government, pledged to build on the foundation laid by his predecessor.
"Unionism is about dialogue, not confrontation. Pensioners deserve timely remittance of their pensions to keep them alive and comfortable. Governor Otu has set a good pace by paying pensions before civil servants' salaries. We will also push for the harmonization of pensions in line with the new minimum wage so that our members retain their bargaining power in the market," Umo stated
The election also saw one aspirant step down shortly before commencement of voting, acknowledging Umo's superior experience and suitability for the office. Nonetheless, ballots were cast to satisfy constitutional requirements before the results were formally declared and certificates of return issued.
Umo assured pensioners across the state of regular communication and cooperation with branch chairmen, promising to work closely with the outgoing leadership to consolidate on recorded gains.
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