- Slams organisation as cheap blackmailers, political jobbers
BY SEGUN ADEBAYO – Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has debunked allegations that the Labour Movement is hatching plans to scuttle the swearing-in of the President-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu on May 29, 2023.
The Congress made the refutal while reacting to claims by the Arewa Youth Assembly (AYA) that NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, is plotting to scuttle Tinubu’s inauguration and working with the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), to actualise the presidential bid of the Labour Party (LP) candidate, Peter Obi.
In dismissing all the allegations, the NLC, through its spokesperson, Benson Upah, said neither Ajaero nor the NLC has plans to scuttle Tinubu’s inauguration as claimed by those it described as cheap blackmailers
According to a statement signed by Upah, all the allegations are cheap blackmail intended to divert the NLC leadership’s attention from its obligation or mission to the people, saying; “We wish to reiterate that the Nigeria Labour Congress is a pan-Nigerian organisation not governed by primordial sentiments such as ethnicity or religion,
“Ajaero is a law-abiding citizen and a stickler for the separation and expression of powers, of which the judiciary is one,“In light of this, he does not believe in the intimidation of judges but nonetheless holds the view that corrupt judges should be put in their place.”
Upah, who maintained that it is unreasonable to accuse Ajaero and the Secretary-General, Emmanuel Ugboaja, of pursuing an ethnic agenda at the Congress, let alone IPOB, said; “To therefore, label and profile him as an ethnicist is not only criminal but suggestive of fear of Ajaero in some quarters. However, those in mortal fear of Ajaero are the ones that constitute a threat to our national security, for they are the ones with something to hide.
“In spite of their vitriol and blackmail, Ajaero will not back down but will continue to act, speak, and lead the Congress with fear of God and in line with the fine traditions of lawful and patriotic protest”.
Referring to the so-called Arewa Youths Assembly (AYA) as “phoney organisations in search of bread and butter,” the NLC Spokesman further described them as “floating character assassins waiting to be hired for a pittance.”
“We will not waste our time on them except to point out that they have only succeeded in denigrating the name Arewa, which has sadly been franchised for pecuniary benefits”.
The AYA, in accusing Comrade Ajaero of using NLC as a platform to achieve his Biafra agenda, had also alleged that the Igbo-dominated Congress is being used by Ajaero to sabotage the nation’s economy.
Among its allegations, the AYA claimed the invasion of the Lagos and Imo airports by IPOB fundamentalists posing as the NLC is just the start of what Ajaero is planning to do to prevent Tinubu from taking the oath of office on May 29, 2023.
