The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) yesterday condemned the invasion of its Secretariat, Labour House, Abuja by youths right under the noses of the police.
According to the Acting General Secretary of the Congress, Comrade Owei Lakemfa, “the youths numbering about 70, who were hired by government agents, later apologised for their action, claiming that they were not told they were being brought to the NLC.
“They revealed that they were promised N1,000 each to carry out the invasion. Subsequently, they forced the agents that brought them to pay the N1,000 fee right in the presence of the cameras.”
NLC further noted that the aim of the invasion was to cause a fracas and claim that workers are divided over the issue of fuel price increase.
The statement reads in part: “It is instructive that while the invasion was on, the FCT Police Command ignored calls by NLC officials to come and escort the thugs out of the Labour premises. Also, the heavily armed security men who had cordoned off part of the NTA Link Road where Labour House is situated, did nothing to stop the invaders.
“The NLC views this incident as another desperate attempt by the increasingly isolated and unpopular Jonathan administration to stop the mass movement against its insensitive and ridiculous fuel price increases of between 120-220 per cent.
“As part of its desperate moves to abort the people’s mass protests and intimidate Nigerians, the Presidency this morning turned out heavily armed units of the Presidential guards. The troops blocked roads, cordoned off parts of the city, harrassed and frisked passersby.
“We condemn this “show of force” designed to intimidate peace-loving Nigerians. The NLC also condemns this misuse of the army and warn that the police and armed forces are citizens like the rest of us who are equally affected by the negative impacts of the fuel price hike, and should therefore not be taken for granted.
“The Labour Movement specifically asks Abuja residents to hold demonstrations in various parts of the city and its surburbs, and march to the city centre by 8 am from Monday 9th January, 2012.
“Fraudulent text messages were sent around this morning, claiming that government had reverted PMS (petrol) price to N65 and that on the strength of this, Labour had called off the general strike, rallies and mass protests which commence on Monday 9th January, 2012. Another text message claims that the strike and commencement dates have been shifted. There is no truth in these claims.
“The NLC informs Nigerians that on this issue of strikes and protests, only statements or messages from the Labour Movement should be taken as authentic.
“We reiterate that the right of Nigerians to peaceful assembly and protest is a fundamental one which no government can abridge. The NLC will work with the patriotic Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) to bring those who brutalise Nigerians and their bosses who issue the orders to justice.”
The Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu, could not be immediately reached for comments.
The Assistant Director of Press in the ministry, Mr. Solomon Olowookere, who spoke to our reporter, said the ministry knew nothing about it.
‘’I know nothing about it. As you are speaking to me, I’m not even in Abuja,’’ he said on the telephone.
In a related development, the National Industrial Court (NIC) yesterday restrained the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) from embarking on the indefinite strike planned for Monday.
The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Muhammad Bello Adoke (SAN), had gone behind the labour unions to get the court injunction.
The three-member panel of Justices, chaired by the President of the NIC, Justice Babatunde Adejumo, granted the exparte application filed by the minister and moved by Matthew Echo.
The motion was brought pursuant to Order 11 Rules 1& 2 of the National Industrial Court Rules 2007, Section 19 of the National Industrial Court Act 2006, Section 254C (1c) of the 1999 Constitution and under the inherent jurisdiction of the court.
The order was granted after the Minister undertook to indemnify NLC and TUC in the event that the motion exparte is later ascertained by the Court as one which ought not to have been granted.
Other members of the panel are Justices Benedict Kanyip and Maureen Esowe.
Ruling on the application, the panel said it was mindful of the decision of the Court of Appeal in Oshiomhole V. Federal Government delivered in 2007, which stated conditions under which industrial strike could be stopped.
Taking a cue from the above decision, the panel granted reliefs 1, 4 and 5 as follows:
*An order restraining the Defendants from embarking or compelling other persons to embark on a strike action or general strikes, mass rallies and street protests across Nigeria pending the determination of the Motion on Notice.
*An order restraining the Defendants from embarking and/or inciting the general public to embark on and/or incite the Nigerian citizenry and the general public to embark on general strike, street protests, mass rallies or any other action that would be inimical to the economic affairs of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, pending the determination of the Motion on Notice.
•An order granting leave to the Claimant/Applicant to serve the NLC and TUC with the originating processes in this matter vide substituted means to-wit by publication in national dailies……
Justice Adejumo, however, struck out two reliefs sought by the AGF.
They are: "An order restraining the Defendants from interfering with the exercise of the constitutional powers of the executive arm of the Federal Government of Nigeria in the allocation and use of the scarce resources of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, including but not limited to the transfer of resources previously allocated to the subsidy of premium motor spirit (PMS), among others, for the medium and long term socio-economic benefit of present and future generations of Nigerians.
"An order restraining the Defendants from interfering in any way with the executive implementation (in ways and means) of the 2012 Appropriation Act and other connected duties of the Executive Arm of the Federal Government of Nigeria in the management of the economic affairs of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.’’
Justice Asejumo said the court lacks the jurisdiction to entertain the issues raised by the claimant/applicant.
The case was adjourned till January 12 for hearing of the motion on notice.
In a 30-paragraph affidavit of urgency deposed to by Mr. Yusuf Mok, an assistant director, Civil Litigation in the Ministry of Justice, the AGF averred : *That the Defendants' call for general strike was made without any formal declaration of a dispute right relating to labour relations or employee rights.
•That prior to the Defendants' call for strike action or general strike, mass rallies and street protests across Nigeria, there was no reference of any dispite by the Defendants to Arbitration.
*That the Defendants Joint Communique dated 4th January, 2012, calling for indefinite general strike, mass rallies and street protests be held across the country with effect from Monday 9th January, 2012 was made to the general Nigerian public over and beyond their respective members.
•That the Defendants, by their Joint Communique dated 4th January, 2012 threatened that from Monday, 9 January 2012, all offices, oil production centres, air and sea ports, fuel stations, markets, banks, amongst others will be shut down.
*That the removal of subsidy is not a dispute of right of the defendants or their members adding that the defendants did not also raise any dispute arising from a collective and fundamental breach of contract employment on their part, among others.’’
Reacting to the restraining order of court yesterday, the NLC asked members of the public to ignore what it called a black market injunction.
The congress said in a statement signed by its Acting General Secretary, Owei Lakemfa: ‘’There are rumours circulating that the desperate Jonathan administration has purchased a black market injunction possibly from the National Industrial Court (NIC). The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) is not aware of any such injunction. We were not served any paper of court appearance. We were not present in court nor were we represented in any capacity. Also, the NLC was not served any court summons nor were we served any court order.
‘’The cretins in the Jonathan administration imagine that by seeking to drag the judiciary in the mud, they can avert the general strike, rallies and mass protests that will begin on Monday 9th January, 2012. They cannot make the simple analysis that the whole populace is angry and that Nigerians do not need any group to ask them to protest an evil policy that seeks to impoverish them.
‘’The NLC asks Nigerians to ignore this childish ploy and rumour. There is no going back on next week’s protests and shutdown.
‘’The issue of the strikes and protests against an obnoxious policy is not an industrial relations one; it is not between an employer and an employee. Rather, it is one between the Nigerian people versus the Jonathan government.
‘’So, if the issue was taken before the National Industrial Court, then it is the wrong place to shop for a black market injunction. To obtain an injunction from a court that has no competent jurisdiction is to try playing ping pong with the judiciary.
‘’Labour reiterates that the constitutional and fundamental right of Nigerians to protest cannot be annulled.
‘’The NLC asks Nigerians to ignore such rumours. The strikes, mass rallies and protests will go on as scheduled. The NLC advises the Jonathan administration to listen to the people or face their justifiable wrath.’’
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