The United Niger Energy Commission (UNDEC), has criticised the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) for declaring a nationwide strike in violation of a court order.

According to the General Secretary of the organisation, Mr Tony Uranta, NLC and all its affiliate organisations have no right anymore to talk of the rule of law and stressed the need for dialogue with the Federal Government.

Speaking at a special interview with Ray Power FM in Port Harcourt, yesterday, the UNDEC secretary while admitting that the timing of the subsidy removal was not perfect, however, said that reverting the pump price to N65 will spell doom for the country, stressing that what was needed at the moment was support to the federal government.

It will be recalled that the National Industrial Court had last Friday, restrained the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) from embarking on its planned nationwide strike to protest hike in fuel price billed for last Monday. President of the Court, Mr Babatunde Adejumo gave the ruling in Jos, Plateau State following an ex-parte appeal by the Federal Government.

But in a swift reaction, the NLC urged Nigerians to ignore the judgment which it described as a “black market injunction”, insisting that it was going ahead with the planned mass action.

In the statement titled: “Nigerians should ignore any black market injunction”, NLC scribe Comrade Owei Lakemfa said government felt that by dragging the judiciary into the matter, it would avert the obvious anger in the land.

Labour, he said, was neither served with court papers nor represented at the court proceeding, adding however that Nigerians were not against any organisation to protest what they considered insensitive government policy.

Faulting the injunction which the NLC described as “rumour” further, Lakemfa said the industrial arbitration court could only adjudicate on industrial disputes between employers and employees which, he insisted was not the case with the planned mass protest.

“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 strikes, 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, protests and 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”, Owei Lakemfa, Acting General Secretary stated.

Meanwhile, the NIC ruling of the court followed an ex-parte appeal filed by Attorney General of the Federation on behalf of the federal government seeking to abort the planned indefinite strike following removal of subsidy on petrol.

In a 30-paragraph affidavit of urgency filed and deposed to by counsel in the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation, Mr. Yusuf Moka, government averred that the defendants had not submitted any dispute to arbitration nor served it with a notice of arbitration, arguing that the scheduled strike was called without a formal declaration of a dispute relating to labour relations.