NHIS Crisis: I didn’t sue the president, says Yusuf

Alliance Law Firm, Lawyers representing the suspended Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Prof. Usman Yusuf, on Thursday described as false, news that its client sued the President.

The Managing Partner of Alliance, Dr Uche Val-Obi (SAN), in statement in Lagos, said that his client pledged his continued loyalty to the President 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. , the Executive Secretary (ES) 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 (SGF) 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, Nov. 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.