The nationwide strike by Organised Labour has been called off following a meeting between the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and the Trade Union Congress, TUC late yesterday.
The meeting which was held at the office of the NSA, Ribadu, had in attendance the TUC President, Festus Osifo; the NLC General Secretary, Emmanuel Ugboaja; the Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Lalong, among others.
Speaking after the meeting, Lalong told newsmen that they appealed to the labour leaders to reconsider the strike in the collective interest of the nation.
President of the TUC, Festus Osifo said that the delegation had heard the government delegation but that the delegates would go back to brief the two labour centres, NLC and TUC.
Following the consultations among the NLC and TUC executives, it was resolved to call off the strike which lasted for two days.
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The Organised Labour called out workers to protest the brutalisation of the National President of the NLC, Comrade Joe Ajaero, and the failure of the government to implement some of the agreements reached on October 2, 2023, on addressing the removal of fuel subsidies in the country.
Earlier, the NLC listed six conditions that must be met for it to call off its ongoing indefinite strike.
It listed the six conditions in a series of posts via its official X handle (formerly known as Twitter).
The NLC said, first, Chinasa Nwaneri, a Special Adviser to the Imo Governor on Special Duties, who allegedly led the attack on NLC President Joe Ajaero and other workers in the State must be arrested and prosecuted.
The union also said all police officers as well as thugs involved in the attack on the labour leader should be arrested, prosecuted, and dismissed.
It also demanded the arrest, prosecution, and dismissal of the Chief Security Officer in the Imo State Government House simply identified as SP Shaba.
*NSA Ribadu confirms arrest of Imo gov’s aide over attack on Ajaero
Earlier, the NSA, Ribadu, apologised to the Organised Labour over the attack on Ajaero in Owerri on November 1.
In a statement signed by the Head of Strategic Communications in the Office of the National Security Adviser, Zakari U Mijinyawa, Ribadu urged the movement to rescind its decisions on the ongoing strike, adding that attackers of Ajaero have been arrested and investigations had commenced.
Ribadu said the Federal Government regrets the incident that happened in Imo and condemns it in its entirety, noting that it was against the rule of law and the principles of freedom of association and expression subscribed to by President Tinubu and his administration.
The statement read, “The Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) is concerned by the declaration of a nationwide strike by the leadership of the Organised Labour led by the NLC and TUC.
“The NSA is particularly worried about the implications of the strike action on the livelihood of ordinary Nigerians and its potential impact on economic security and other strategic national interests.
“As attested by the NLC leadership, the NSA immediately intervened on learning about the travails of the President of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Joseph Ajaero who was assaulted in Owerri, Imo State.
“The NSA regrets the incident and condemns it in its entirety as it was against the rule of law and the principles of freedom of association and expression subscribed to by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his administration.
“The Federal Government will never condone such an act. As a fallout of the incident, relevant authorities were directed to conduct a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the assault and bring to book the culprits. An available update indicates that some arrests have already been made in this regard. The outcome of the investigation will be made public as soon as it is concluded.
“The Federal Government, through the Office of the NSA, therefore, appeals to the labour leadership to call off the current strike action and allow the dialogue process underway to be exhausted.”
*Oshiomhole says ‘no one can arrest democracy’
In another development, the Senator representing Edo North in the National Assembly, Adams Oshiomhole, yesterday faulted the protest by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Imo State two weeks ago, led by its President, Joe Ajaero, which kicked off a series of events that culminated in an ongoing nationwide strike by Organised Labour.
The former NLC president and governor of Edo State, who appeared on Channels Television’s Politics Today, called Ajaero’s supposed involvement in the election of the NLC chairman in Imo State in the lead-up to the November 11 highly anticipated governorship election.
Ajaero was arrested on November 1, in the middle of a protest and strike action by the NLC in the state, and released hours later with visible bruises, prompting allegations of torture against the Imo State Police Command.
Oshiomhole noted that as a result, the NLC President banned flights out of the state.
“He ordered- no transport out of Imo, and that Imo must be grounded. And not a few people wondered about the timing. If you don’t want the governor, the more reason you should allow the people to go and vote- and vote him out — if your opinion is shared by a majority of the people. But you cannot arrest democracy.”
Oshiomhole pointed out that the incumbent NLC president is from Imo State “and this is the second time they are having a showdown with the governor — and the issues are never really clear”.
According to him, the first instance was over a dispute about the workers’ preference in the election of the chairman of the NLC in Imo State Council.
“The one that was allegedly favoured by many people, the President of the NLC coming from Imo didn’t like the person,” Oshiomhole argued.
“They did their election; it was nullified and a caretaker was appointed and some of the workers felt that the man appointed was the person favoured by the President.”
In the senator’s view, the NLC President must be seen to be above board and must not “drag himself into the little issues,” particularly when they are dealing with their state.
“Now, those issues about who is the chairman, who is not the chairman, led to a declaration of strike and the mother union of the NLC president is the NUEE which controls the power supply and they put off the power in Imo State,” Oshiomhole narrated.
“This latest one, about nine or 10 days to the last election: Again, the NLC president went to Imo State over allegations of all sorts of things, but they are never specific. No wages, etc., and at the end of the day, we saw pictures that he was arrested.”
*NASS urges Labour to halt strike
Also earlier yesterday, the National Assembly appealed to the Organised Labour to call off their ongoing strike.
The Senate has also mandated its leadership to immediately summon an emergency meeting with the labour leaders to address the issue.
The Senate resolutions followed a motion by Senator Abdul Ningi (PDP, Bauchi) during Wednesday’s plenary.
NLC and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) embarked on a nationwide strike on Tuesday to protest the alleged attack on Ajaero in Imo State on November 1.
Official activities in many states and the FCT were grounded as workers joined in the strike action.
Ningi’s motion was presented by the Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele.
The Bauchi lawmaker condemned the attack on Ajaero, describing it as unfortunate.
He said the NLC president had the constitutional rights, as a Nigerian and an indigene of Imo, to be involved in the electioneering in the state.
He said it was wrong to brutalise him for participating in the process.
He said, “The Senate is aware that the strike which has commenced since 14th of November 2023 is not unconnected with the alleged assault on the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress during the electioneering campaign that took place in Imo State.
“The Senate worries that most of the demands of the NLC are not targeted towards just the welfare of the Nigerian workers but essentially targeted most essentially at issues arising from the alleged political involvement of the President of the NLC, who also is an indigene and also have a right to a part of the campaign process in Imo State.”
The lawmaker said it was found that there was indeed an assault on the President of the NLC freely participating political campaign process of Imo as a citizen of the state.
He expressed worry that if the strike was allowed to continue, Nigerians would be the worst for it and it could lead to a total collapse of the economy.
