A faction of the Labour Party (LP) led by Lamidi Apapa has accused the Nigeria Labour Congress (NPC) President, Joe Ajaero, of using the NLC to prosecute a personal agenda of both political and economic against the Imo State government.
The party also accused the NLC of hiding under the assault on its president to sabotage President Bola Tinubu’s government.
The National Publicity Secretary of the LP faction, Abayomi Arabambi, said this in a statement on Saturday in Abuja.
The party also carpeted organised labour for blocking the roads leading to the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport as part of protest against the brutalisation of Ajaero by alleged thugs.
The NLC president led a protest to Owerri, the Imo State capital, against the state government where he was assaulted.
This has led the NLC and Trade Union Congress (TUC) threatening to embark on a nationwide strike on November 14 unless its demands are met.
The statement by the LP faction said: “Joe Ajaero’s indiscriminate use of NLC to prosecute his personal agenda of attempted political and economic conquest of his home state of Imo is an affirmation of his desire to overthrow democracy.
“Just yesterday, he was quoted to have said that nothing is wrong if INEC postpones the scheduled Saturday election and further affirmed their decision to go ahead with the strike by midnight of Monday despite the restraining order granted to the Federal Government of Nigeria by the National Industrial Court.
“What manner of institutionalised manifest executive rascality on display, the first of its kind by a labour union leader with a posture that he is a government on his own. Joe Ajaero’s disregard for rule of law is very alarming and such an action has definitely overstretched the limit of law permissible thus constituting a treasonable felony act.
“Here was a man whose instincts tell him that the people of Nigeria must be made to suffer because his ego was bruised by Imo State workers who are protesting his dictatorial tendencies of attempting to install his cousin as the chairman of Imo State Council of NLC.
“The Minister of Aviation and AeroSpace Development would recollect that some weeks ago, the Federal Executive Council, chaired by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu approved and adopted wholesale the MoU and some of the agreements in the MoU have being implemented. The wage award of N35,000 to federal workers is being paid. The N25,000 to be paid over 6 months to 15 million households is also being executed.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration has also demonstrated his commitments to the MoU by the removal of the 7.5% VAT on diesel as demanded by the labour movement and last week launched the Compressed Natural Gas vehicles, which it promised to provide countrywide.
“But despite all this laudable commitment, the Joe Ajaero led military wing supporters of Labour Party are hell bent on going on with the strike and shutting down the economy with the sole aim of political and economic conquest of Nigeria simply because one container loads economist bland petition was dismissed under two mins by the Supreme Court.”
The party urged the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development not to blame it for the actions of some persons.
“We advise the Hon minister to wake up some of the lame duck APC leaderships who out of fear for those toothless Obidient have abandoned the APC ruling party responsibilities to voice their opinions against Joe Ajaero and his military wing of Peter Obi Labour Party support group attempted insurrection through violent overthrow of the administration of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.
“The president’s many appointees are also culpable in the current shenanigans been orchestrated by Joe Ajaero military junta because they have suddenly become voiceless, unconcerned about the legitimacy and safety of the President of Nigeria Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu which has since been confirmed by the Supreme Court.”
