The Nigerian Presidency has described the nationwide strike action called by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) over attack on the NLC President, Joe Ajaero in Imo State, as a call to civil disobedience to the government of the federation.
In a statement today, November 14, by the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on information and strategy, Bayo Onanuga said that the strike action is illegal, immoral, unjustifiable and irresponsible.
The two unions have scheduled a nationwide strike by workers, commencing from midnight of today, November 14, despite a restraining order issued last week by Justice Benedict Backwash Kanyip of the National Industrial Court.
Onanuga said that the decision by the NLC and TUC to call out workers on strike, other than being an ego tripping move, is clearly unwarranted.
“It is an attempt to blackmail the government by the leadership of the NLC.
“We are still at a loss as to why the NLC and TUC decided to punish a whole country of over 200 million people over a personal matter involving the NLC President, Mr. Joe Ajaero, whose error of judgment led to assault on him in Owerri while he was planning to incite the workers in Imo State into a needless strike.”
Onanuga said that while the Federal government does not condone any form of violence and assault on any citizen of Nigeria regardless of his or her social and economic status, but that calling out workers on a national strike over a personal issue of a labour leader despite a clear court order against any industrial action amounts to an abuse of privilege.
He recalled that the Inspector General of Police had since ordered investigation into what happened to Ajaero even as the Commissioner of Police in Imo State under whose watch the incident happened has been transferred out of the state.
The Presidency insisted that power at any level should never be used to settle personal scores, saying “rather, it should be used to promote collective progress and advance national interest.
“Our national economy and social activities should not suffer because of the personal interest of any labour leader.
“This flagrant disobedience to court order and lack of respect for the judiciary should not be what the organised Labour would champion.
“The labour movement has always been a champion of rule of law and respect for the judiciary. It is a sad irony that the current labour leaders have shown disdain and utter disregard for court order.
“We reiterate that this strike action is illegal, immoral, unjustifiable and irresponsible. What the strike notice issued Monday night after official hours suggests is it’s designed for a sinister and hidden agenda to cause undue hardship and cause civil disturbance in our country. This is unacceptable.”
