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The leadership of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has threatened to call a nationwide strike if the police proceed with the arrest of its president, Comrade Joe Ajaero.
The threat was made on Tuesday morning, August 20, at the NLC headquarters following an urgent meeting of the National Executive Council (NEC). The meeting was convened hours after the Nigerian police invited Comrade Ajaero for questioning in relation to allegations of terrorist financing.
During the meeting, the NEC agreed that Ajaero should accept the police invitation. However, it instructed its legal counsel to request an extension for Ajaero’s appearance before the authorities, allowing additional time for preparation.
Comrade Ado Kabiru Sani, Vice President of the NLC, urged the nation’s workforce to remain prepared for further instructions. He stressed that if the police took actions contrary to their expectations, such as the detention of Ajaero, the union would consider mobilizing a national strike in response.
“As a committed labor center, we will honor the police’s invitation because we are not a faceless organization, but we are working with our lawyer for an extension. In case the President is arrested, all workers will immediately drop their tools. We should wait for further directives from our leadership,” Sani said.
”COMMUNICATION OF THE EMERGENCY MEETING OF THE NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COUNCIL OF THE NIGERIA LABOUR CONGRESS (NLC) HELD ON TUESDAY, 20 AUGUST 2024
The National Executive Council (NEC) of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has convened an emergency meeting to deliberate on recent developments regarding the invitation of the President of the Congress, Comrade Joe Ajaero, by the Nigeria Police Force. This invitation is based on a clearly unfounded and politically motivated investigation into alleged terrorist financing, cyber crimes, subversion, criminal conspiracy and serious treasonable offences.
The NEC notes with grave concern that instead of extending the call of the Congress for the earlier invasion of its national headquarters by security agencies, the Nigerian Police has chosen to embark on this spurious and fortuitous journey of intimidation, harassment and witch-hunt. This is nothing but a farce and a blatant attempt to stifle the voice of workers and their leadership as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Conventions 87 and 98 of the International Labour Organisation (ILO).
In light of this, the NLC NEC resolves as follows:
Announcement
We will honor the invitation: As a center of responsible work committed to the rule of law and due process, the NLC will honor the invitation extended to its Chairman by the Nigerian Police, but will request an extension given the nature of the invitation. However, we wish to state unequivocally that this in no way legitimizes the baseless allegations leveled against him.
Condemnation of State Actions: The NEC strongly condemns the continued harassment of the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress and other Labour leaders. We consider this a calculated attempt to weaken and destabilize the trade union movement, which has always been a bastion of democratic principles and the voice of the Nigerian masses.
Call on the State to desist: The NEC warns the State to desist from its evil intentions and immediately stop the ongoing witch hunt against Congress leaders. Congress will not sit idly by while the rights and liberties of its members and leaders are trampled upon by the State with impunity.
President: JOSEPH AJAERO General]Secretary: EMMANUEL UGBOAJA, Treasurer: AMBALI AKEEM OLATUNJI
The NEC directs all its affiliates and state councils to immediately begin the process of mobilizing their members nationwide. The Congress will not hesitate to take all necessary measures, including mass protests and industrial action, to protect the integrity and independence of the labor movement. If anything happens to the Congress President or any other Congress leader in support of these tendentious allegations by the state; the NEC directs all its affiliates and state councils to proceed with an indefinite nationwide strike by 12:00 midnight today.
The NEC calls on all civil society allies and the general public to stand in solidarity with the Nigeria Labour Congress at this critical time. The fight against injustice and oppression is collective and we call on all Nigerians to rise up in defense of our shared democratic values.
The Nigeria Labour Congress remains steadfast in its commitment to defending the rights and interests of the workers and people of Nigeria. We will not be intimidated or cowed by these desperate attempts to silence us. We remain steadfast in our resolve to uphold justice, fairness and the rule of law in our beloved country.
