Ex-Labour Leaders Challenge NLC, TUC On Rivers Emergency Rule

The Former Labour Leaders’ Forum (FLLF) in Rivers State has called on the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) to make their positions known on the declaration of state of emergency in Rivers State.

It also called on the organised labour to actively join hands with well-meaning Nigerians, civil society organisations and the good people of the state to end what they described as “undemocratic precedent” in the state.

Addressing journalists in Port Harcourt yesterday, FLLF chairman, Comrade Igwe Achese stated that the organised labour, especially in Rivers State, as a major stakeholder in the socio-political democratic and economic emancipation of Rivers people, should not be sleeping while the state is apparently on fire.

Achese, a former president of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), questioned the rationale behind the selective application of a state of emergency in Rivers State while ignoring states constantly plagued by worse security challenges.

He said, “Ordinarily, as former labour leaders, we are not supposed to lead workers to protest the collapse of democracy in Rivers State rather than the organised labour that is saddled with the responsibility of defending and protecting the nascent democracy, which is yet to see reasons in the state that we found ourselves.

“April 18 marks exactly one month since President Bola Tinubu in a most undesirable and absurd pronouncement on the Rivers State crisis declared a state of emergency and the suspension of the democratically elected governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Prof Ngozi Ordu and members of the State House of Assembly for six months.

“To cap it all, the president appointed Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete lbas (rtd) as the sole administrator of the state in what we considered a brazen and fragrant desecration of democracy and the rule of law.

“It is therefore our strongest opinion as former labour leaders in the state to call on the organised labour – the NLC and the TUC – at the state and national levels to actively join hands with well-meaning Nigerians, civil society organisations and the good people of Rivers state to bring to an immediate end this dangerous undemocratic precedent that has been unleashed in our dear state.”