Oshiomhole Got It Wrong, Strike Not Political – TUC President Osifo

• Identifies former NLC Leader with ‘Black Market Injunction’ coinage

BY VICTOR BUORO – The President of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Festus Osifo, has accused the former President of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Senator Adams Oshiomhole, of speaking ignorantly about an issue without having a fit and proper understanding of its ingredients.

Taking a swipe at Oshiomhole for criticising the now-suspended industrial action by the Organised Labour over an attack on the current NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, the TUC Leader advanced that the former Edo State Governor does not have sufficient information and therefore cannot make any reasonable comment on the issues at stake

Osifo, who spoke on Channels Television’s programme, Sunrise Daily,  said; “What Ajaero went to do in Owerri was not political”, and anyone saying something to the contrary is definitely not well-informed and should be told so in clear terms.

Berating the former NLC leader for basing his opinion on half-truths and the information possibly provided at the Villa, the TUC leader said the organ of NLC, comprising over 300 individuals, supported the action in Imo to protest the alleged anti-labour policies of the Imo State government led by Governor Hope Uzodimma.

Osifo further said; “Our senior comrade, Adams Oshiomhole, you know, you give opinion, based on the information that you have, Today, he is a Senator, he is busy with national politics. I think he does not have sufficient information. Maybe, after now, we will give him as much information as possible once he reaches out because he went to the Villa to meet with them (government officials). So, that is the information they gave to him.”

Insisting that the information at the former All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman’s disposal is skewed, the TUC President queried; “Has he spoken with Joe Ajaero? Has he spoken with the senior labour leaders in the country to also have their opinions on what this subject is? We must always balance opinions.”

Osifo, while also dismissing reports that the Labour Centres were served a court order to stop the strike, said; “Our senior Comrade (Oshiomhole) that spoke earlier when he was leading us in the Labour Movement, clearly referred to such orders as ‘black market injunctions’.

“But first of all, we were not served. As we speak today, we don’t have service of any court order. If you procure a court order, even if you procure it at midnight, you need to serve it on the party and I will tell you that we don’t have it. They should bring proof of service on the TUC and the NLC.”