Peace Corps reacts to ‘rejection’ of bill

The Peace Corps of Nigeria, PCN, has reacted to the report that
its bill before President Muhammadu Buhari for assent has been
rejected.

Report had it that Buhari refused to append his signature to the
NPC Establishment Bill, which was officially sent to him by the
Clerk of the National Assembly, Sani Omolori, in the last week of
December 2017 because there was no need for such an outfit under
the Nigerian security architecture.

Reacting to the report, Patriot Millicent Umoru, Corps Public
Relations Officer, said the presidency was yet to notify them of
the alleged rejection.

She said, “The truth of the matter is that out of about nine
Bills that were transmitted to the President together with that of
the Nigerian Peace Corps, the President rejected three and returned
same to the National Assembly (NASS), stating reasons why he
rejected them. And of course, the Nigerian Peace Corps Bill was not
part of the rejected ones.

“We are not unaware of the grand conspiracy by some security
agencies against the Peace Corps, especially the Police, Department
of State Services (DSS) and Civil Defence in their adversarial
memos to the Presidency to thwart assent to the Bill. This
conspiracy, which was also manifested in form of opposition during
the Public Hearings conducted by both chambers of the NASS on the
Bill, was roundly defeated by superior arguments of over 500 Oral
and written Memoranda submitted during the Public Hearings in the
NASS.

“The major plank of this conspiracy is that the functions of the
Nigerian Peace Corps (NPC) Bill overlap that of the Nigerian Police
and Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), which is far
from the truth. (Nigerians should watch out for our full page
advertorial on this issue in The Nation, The Sun, Daily Trust and
Tribune Newspapers on Monday, 19th February, 2018). The advertorial
clearly articulates the statutory functions of the Police, Civil
Defence and that of the Nigerian Peace Corps.

“Moreover, the Spokespersons of both chambers of the NASS,
Senator Sabi Abdullahi (Senate) and Hon. Abdulrazak Namdas (House
of Representatives) have clarified the issues as far as the law on
this matter is concerned.

“For purpose of clarity, Peace Corps of Nigeria was duly
incorporated by the Corporate Affairs Commission under the
Companies and Allied Matters Act Cap 1990, Part C as Nigerian
Leadership and Marshal Corps, but changed to Peace Corps of Nigeria
in 2002 in accordance with the Companies and Allied Matters Act.
So, its legality has never been called to question and even if the
Bill is not assented to, that will not stop it from functioning as
an entity. The Bill is essentially to give statutory backing to the
Corps.

“Sadder still is that in spite of several Court judgments
pronouncing Peace Corps as a legal entity, including recent
verdicts by two different Federal High Courts judges, the
antagonists of the Corps have continued to disregard these valid
Orders by refusing to unseal the Peace Corps office. So much for
the Rule of Law!”

The Peace Corps of Nigeria, PCN, has reacted to the report that
its bill before President Muhammadu Buhari for assent has been
rejected.

Report had it that Buhari refused to append his signature to the
NPC Establishment Bill, which was officially sent to him by the
Clerk of the National Assembly, Sani Omolori, in the last week of
December 2017 because there was no need for such an outfit under
the Nigerian security architecture.

Reacting to the report, Patriot Millicent Umoru, Corps Public
Relations Officer, said the presidency was yet to notify them of
the alleged rejection.

She said, “The truth of the matter is that out of about nine
Bills that were transmitted to the President together with that of
the Nigerian Peace Corps, the President rejected three and returned
same to the National Assembly (NASS), stating reasons why he
rejected them. And of course, the Nigerian Peace Corps Bill was not
part of the rejected ones.

“We are not unaware of the grand conspiracy by some security
agencies against the Peace Corps, especially the Police, Department
of State Services (DSS) and Civil Defence in their adversarial
memos to the Presidency to thwart assent to the Bill. This
conspiracy, which was also manifested in form of opposition during
the Public Hearings conducted by both chambers of the NASS on the
Bill, was roundly defeated by superior arguments of over 500 Oral
and written Memoranda submitted during the Public Hearings in the
NASS.

“The major plank of this conspiracy is that the functions of the
Nigerian Peace Corps (NPC) Bill overlap that of the Nigerian Police
and Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), which is far
from the truth. (Nigerians should watch out for our full page
advertorial on this issue in The Nation, The Sun, Daily Trust and
Tribune Newspapers on Monday, 19th February, 2018). The advertorial
clearly articulates the statutory functions of the Police, Civil
Defence and that of the Nigerian Peace Corps.

“Moreover, the Spokespersons of both chambers of the NASS,
Senator Sabi Abdullahi (Senate) and Hon. Abdulrazak Namdas (House
of Representatives) have clarified the issues as far as the law on
this matter is concerned.

“For purpose of clarity, Peace Corps of Nigeria was duly
incorporated by the Corporate Affairs Commission under the
Companies and Allied Matters Act Cap 1990, Part C as Nigerian
Leadership and Marshal Corps, but changed to Peace Corps of Nigeria
in 2002 in accordance with the Companies and Allied Matters Act.
So, its legality has never been called to question and even if the
Bill is not assented to, that will not stop it from functioning as
an entity. The Bill is essentially to give statutory backing to the
Corps.

“Sadder still is that in spite of several Court judgments
pronouncing Peace Corps as a legal entity, including recent
verdicts by two different Federal High Courts judges, the
antagonists of the Corps have continued to disregard these valid
Orders by refusing to unseal the Peace Corps office. So much for
the Rule of Law!”