The National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) has issued a warning to the Federal Government, threatening to shut down the power sector if the President of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, is arrested.
The Intelligence Response Team (IRT) arm of the Nigerian Police Force (NPF), had Monday invited Ajaero, for questioning over Criminal Conspiracy, Terrorism Financing, Treasonable Felony, Subversion and Cybercrime.
Reacting to the invitation of the NLC President in a statement, the NUEE’s Acting General Secretary, Comrade Igwebike Dominic, expressed the dismay of the union over what he termed the political machinations surrounding the police invitation of its General Secretary-cum-President of Nigeria Labour Congress – Comrade Joe Ajaero as a purported fall out of the politically-motivated investigation into an alleged trump up charges of terrorism financing, cybercrime, subversion, criminal conspiracy and treasonable felony against him.
The union stated that it was not only embarrassing, but childish and clueless for the Federal Government of Nigeria to take to the antics of witch-hunting, harassment, intimidation and name-calling instead of coming out openly to apologize to the Congress and its leadership for the unlawful invasion of NLC national headquarters some days back.
According to the NUEE, the choice by the government to stifle labour and free speech in the country as a tool to compel Nigerians to continue to suffer in silence in the face of government policies that were not favourable to the people was quite deplorable.
It further stated: “Those in government, especially elected leaders, should be mindful of their actions in times like this, if they have the love of the country at heart.”
The labour union lamented that it was painful to see this happening in a democracy where it is supposed to be ‘government of the people, by the people and for the people’, noting that what Nigerians currently have is simply the government of the selected few, for themselves against the people.
The NUEE pointed out arrest of Ajaero would constitute a blatant abuse of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and International Labour Organization Conventions, especially convention 87 and 98, was unacceptable and would be vehemently resisted.
Similarly, it condemned what it called Government’s interference in the labour movement through the weapons of intimidation and official harassment of labour Leaders, in the country, warning that in the event that Comrade Ajaero is arrested, they will have no choice but to comply with the NLC directives.
The labour group called on the leaders at National, Zonal, State chapters to begin to mobilize their members in power sector value chain to withdraw their services in the event Comrade Joe Ajaero is arrested.
