Catholic Bishop Warns Okorocha against Intimidation of Workers

By Amby Uneze in Owerri

Ahead of the publicised tomorrow’s order by the Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, for civil servants in the state to troop out in their numbers to stage a solidarity march in support of his son-in-law, Uche Nwosu’s governorship ambition, the prolific Archbishop of Owerri Catholic Archdiocese, Most Rev. Anthony Obinna, has warned against forcing civil servants to carry out unconstitutional assignments.

Speaking after yesterday Mass at the Maria Assumpta Cathedral, Owerri, the cleric reminded the governor that his action to foist his son-in-law on the people of the state is a project that died with its conception, adding that such attitude to intimidate the helpless Imo civil servants to carry placards in support of his son-in-law could only end up in perceiving him as a dictator.

According to him, “It is not right to force anybody to do your will that is against the fundamental human rights and the right of freedom of association.

“Those who know Okorocha should advise him that we are not in a military regime, even though it looks as if we are still under the military dictatorship in Nigeria.

“It is only on two occasions since the second republic till date that we saw pure civilian rule, and that was during Presidents Shehu Shagari and Goodluck Jonathan’s regimes. The issue of forcing civil servants to do your will that is totally unconstitutional is an aberration and that cannot be allowed.”

The Archbishop warned civil servants to resist such intimidation and continue to do the right thing according to the laws of the land, adding that the Tuesday forceful march by civil servants in solidarity for the governor’s son-in-law should be reviewed and revisited by those concerned because it contravenes the constitution of Nigeria.”

THISDAY gathered that as a result of the order, market and other social activities in the state are to be closed on Tuesday as threats are being dished out by various government agencies to deal ruthlessly with anyone that contravenes the order.

Already, the 2018 triennial state delegates conference and election of the Imo State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) earlier scheduled for Tuesday has been shifted to a later date.