FG, Northern governors intervene, as wanted NLC President leads protesters to Kaduna govt house
By Ayo Fadimu
President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Ayuba Wabba, earlier declared wanted by Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai on Tuesday led thousands of protesters which include union members to the Kaduna State Government House.
Governor El-Rufai had declared Wabba and others wanted for “economic sabotage” and attack on public infrastructure.
Wabba, in an interview with journalists dared El-Rufai to come and arrest him.
Wabba said, “We are here and waiting for them to arrest me,” he declared as he led protesters on the streets of Kaduna.
Earlier, Governor, El-Rufai has disclosed that he wont back down on his decision to reduce the work force in Kaduna State, insisting that there is no ground for compromise with NLC over the ongoing warning strike embarked by the union in the state.
The governor made the disclosure on Tuesday in an interview in Kaduna while reacting to the five-day warning strike pointing that the unions have used their last ultimate weapon and it would not change anything.
He stressed that “the state government will not change its position.”
The governor claimed that the NLC has committed offences bordering on economic sabotage, hence, the government had issued an order for arrest of NLC President, Ayuba Wabba.
“Anyone who sees the NLC president should report to the nearest police station or report to us. He will be prosecuted for economic sabotage,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government has waded into ongoing strike and picketing in Kaduna State by the organised labour.
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige said this in a statement signed by the Deputy Director, Press and Public Relations in the ministry, Mr Charles Akpan on Tuesday in Abuja.
Our Correspondent reports that the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress(TUC) had embarked on a five-day warning strike that commenced on Monday over sack of 4000 workers by the Kaduna state government.
Ngige appealed to, Malam El-Rufai, Wabba and the President of the TUC, Mr Quadiri Olaleye to immediately cease fire.
“We are not unaware of what is going on in Kaduna state. It is a labour issue which has snowballed into a national strike and picketing by the two labour centres and affiliate unions.
“We hope and also urge the Kaduna state governor not to escalate matters to such a level where it becomes uncontrollable.
“We also appeal to leaders of the labour centres to step down action to make way for discussion.
“My ministry is wading into the matter and therefore calls on the warring parties to give peace a chance,” he said.
The minister also appealed to all workers on essential duties, including doctors and nurses not to join the strike.
He added that, importantly, I appeal to workers in critical sectors not to tamper with electrical or water installations so as not to bring more sufferings to the people of Kaduna state and the nation at large.
“This is because we have it on good authority, following complaints by the Minster of Power that workers have threatened to trigger a nationwide blackout by interfering or switching off the national grid,” Ngige said
Similarly, the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) has urged governor El-Rufai to return to negotiation table with the leadership of NLC to prevent the ongoing strike from crippling the state’s economy.
Governor of Kebbi state and Chairman of the forum, Abubakar Bagudu said this in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja.
“The PGF noted that it has been following unfolding development between NLC and Kaduna state government over the issue of rightsising local government employees with deep concerns.
“Noting all the challenges facing all our states, especially given dwindling revenue, we appeal to all patriotic Nigerians, including the NLC, to demonstrate more commitment toward engaging governments at all levels to address problems.
“This is not the time for muscle flexing,” Bagudu said, saying that Nigerians were already overstretched with many challenges.
“At this critical point of our democratic journey, there could not be limits to engagement between all governments and citizens.”
He said that every step must be taken to resolve the face up between the state government and NLC.
“We appeal to NLC leadership to recognise that the burden of leadership is more about responding to challenges based on the honest disposition of correcting past mistakes.
“As progressive governors, we share the vision of Kaduna state government of reforming all our local government councils to make them more efficient and consequently the pivot of critical development initiatives.
“At the same time, we want to appeal to the state government under the leadership of our colleague, Malam Nasir El-Rufai to take all necessary steps to ensure the resolution of all disagreements in the larger interest of citizens in Kaduna state,” he said.
Bagudu expressed confidence that both the state government and NLC would resolve all outstanding issues and restore industrial harmony in the state.
Also, the Northern Governors Forum, has called for calm and dialogue between Kaduna State Government and organised labour, to resolve the ongoing warning strike by workers in the state.
The Chairman of the forum and Governor of Plateau, Mr Simon Lalong, made the call in a statement by his Director of Press and Public Affairs, Dr. Makut Macham, on Tuesday in Jos.
He said the forum was concerned of the impact of the strike on the state and its residents following the lockdown of economic activities in the state.
The chairman noted that dialogue and negotiations were effective tools of addressing dispute in labour relations.
He called for restraint and de-escalation of the situation to enable amicable resolutions.
He pointed out that peaceful resolution was only possible when both parties operate within the law in ventilating their grievances.
The chairman explained that inciting comments and some actions would further aggravate the situation and increase tension.
Lalong urged the labour leaders to guard against the hijack of its protests by hoodlums, who may want to take advantage of the situation to cause destruction to lives and properties.
He also tasked security agencies to ensure the enforcement of law and order to protect the people and their properties.
Meanwhile, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged Governor El-Rufai to “immediately end the growing crackdown on workers and protesters in his state.”
In a statement signed by SERAP deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation said: “Governor, Nasir El-Rufai and Kaduna state authorities must end the harassment and intimidation of NLC leaders and withdraw the illegal statement declaring Mr Wabba and other NLC leaders ‘wanted.’
The statement, read in part: “Kaduna authorities must respect the human rights of Nigerian workers, and ensure the safety and security of the leaders of Nigeria Labour Congress.
“Declaring NLC leaders ‘wanted’ simply for peacefully exercising their human rights is antithetical to the Nigerian Constitution of 1999 [as amended] and the country’s international obligations.
“Kaduna authorities ought to protect workers from attacks by thugs. Allowing thugs to disrupt peaceful protest by workers is illegal and unconstitutional.
“The government of President Muhammadu Buhari should investigate why the security forces stood by and watched as thugs disrupted and assaulted protesters-and take action against those who did so.
“Using thugs to attack peaceful protesters is a crime against humanity. Authorities need to find out who was responsible for the assaults and punish them appropriately.
“Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai should immediately reinstate Kaduna State University lecturers and nurses unlawfully dismissed for allegedly joining the strike in the state.
“We’ll hold Governor Nasir El-Rufai and Kaduna authorities to account for the blatant violations of human rights.
“Governor Nasir El-Rufai should explain why he reportedly unlawfully sacked all nurses below grade level 14 in the state on the pretext that the nurses embarked on strike in solidarity with the NLC.
“We’ll see in court if the lecturers and nurses are not immediately reinstated.
“We urge the UN human rights special rapporteurs to put pressure on Governor Nasir El-Rufai and Kaduna state to immediately end the brutal crackdown on workers and peaceful protesters.”
