National Union of Electricity Employees, NUEE, has threatened to shut down the power sector if the President of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Joe Ajaero, is arrested.
The Intelligence Response Team, IRT, arm of the Nigerian Police Force, NPF, had Monday, August 19, invited Ajaero, for questioning over Criminal Conspiracy, Terrorism Financing, Treasonable Felony, Subversion and Cybercrime.
NUEE’s Acting General Secretary, Igwebike Dominic, while reacting in a statement, said that NUEE noted with utter dismay the political machinations surrounding the police invitation of its General Secretary-cum-President of Nigeria Labour Congress – Comrade Joe Ajaero as a purported fall out of the politically-motivated investigation into an alleged trump up charges of terrorism financing, cybercrime, subversion, criminal conspiracy and treasonable felony against him.
The statement noted that it was not only embarrassing, but childish and clueless for the Federal Government of Nigeria to take to the antics of witch-hunting, harassment, intimidation and name-calling instead of coming out openly to apologize to the Congress and its leadership for the unlawful invasion of NLC National headquarters few days ago.
According to the statement, the choice by the Government to stifle labour and free speech in the country as a tool to compel Nigerians to continue to suffer in silence in the face of government policies that were not favorable to the people was quite deplorable.
The statement said, “Those in government, especially elected leaders, should be mindful of their actions in times like this, if they have the love of the country at heart.”
It emphasised that it was so painful to see this happening in a democracy where it is supposed to be ‘Government of the people, by the people and for the people’, lamenting that what Nigerians have is simply the government of the selected few, for themselves against the people.
The NUEE’s Acting General Secretary noted that it was a blatant abuse of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and International Labour Organization Conventions especially convention 87 and 98, was unacceptable and would be vehemently resisted.
The Union condemned in its entirety what it called Government’s interference in the Labour movement through the weapons of intimidation and official harassment of Labour Leaders, in the country, warning that in the event that Comrade Ajaero is arrested, they will have no choice but to go with the NLC directives.
NUEE called on their National, Zonal, State and Chapter leadership to commence immediate mobilization of their teaming members in Generation, Transmission and Distribution to withdraw their services in the event that Comrade Joe Ajaero is arrested.
They also called on the Federal Government to tread with caution as the entire Nation was angry and heated up already because of the hunger and hyper-inflation in the land.
According to NUEE, “The rights of citizens must be respected and guaranteed if the country must move forward.”