Politics
Why NLC Suspended Picketing Of Power Firm
The Nigeria Labour
Congress (NLC) may have been forced to suspend its picketing of Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHEDC) following the infiltration of its ranks by suspected hoodlums and hired thugs.
The Tide gathered from a highly placed authority in the congress that the picketing was suspended Friday because the protest was taking a violent dimension.
The authority who pleaded anonymity revealed to The Tide that thugs suspected to have been hired by the management of PHEDC attacked the protesting NLC members in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.
The alleged hired thugs were said to have mobilised and attacked the congress members at the Moscow Road Zonal headquarters of PHEDC, Borikiri Business Unit and Ikwerre Road Office of the Diobu Business Unit of the company.
“They emerged in their numbers attacked our members and broke the chains used in sealing the entrances of the company offices”, the source said.
The Tide learnt that, during the violence unleashed on the NLC members, the official vehicle of the South South Zonal Chairman of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), Comrade Godwin Eruba, was smashed and vandalised while his bag containing valuable documents and unspecified amount of money was also removed. Some members of the congress were said to have been injured in the fracas.
But while the attackers in Port Harcourt were suspected thugs hired to protect the interest of PHEDC, The Tide gathered that in Uyo and Ikot Ekpene areas of Akwa Ibom State, the attackers were members of the public who have been aggrieved by the unsatisfactory services of the company.
The hoodlums took advantage of the picketing to vent their anger on some officials of the company.
The Business Manager of Uyo Business unit was said to have been beaten to coma while his Ikot Ekpene counterpart was lucky as he had observed the influx of the hooligans and made away through the back door. It was equally gathered that apart from the two principals officers of the company, other persons also got injured.
It was in the light of the dangerous and violent way the thugs and hooligans were infiltrating the protest, according to our source, that NLC decided to suspend the picketing exercise for the safety of members and other members of the public.
The picketing which started last Tuesday in the South South zone also saw a breakdown of dialogue between the NLC leadership and PHEDC management.
The Tide learnt that choice of venue for the meeting in Port Harcourt was responsible for break down in negotiation while NLC had chosen the Labour House located at D/Line part of Port Harcourt while the PHEDC management preferred Sansun Hotel in Trans Amadi, apparently for safety reasons.
The meeting which was scheduled to hold on Thursday last week by 2Pm could not hold.
Intervention of the Rivers State Director of State Security Service (SSS), to broker peace was said to had saved the situation.
The meeting which was said to be convened at the Hotel Presidential after the said attack in Port Harcourt, our source said, lingered till 3.00am in the morning of Saturday.
Effort by The Tide to get the outcome of the meeting was unsuccessful until the time of filing this report.
On Tuesday when the picketing began, the Leader of the NLC team, Comrade Opuoyibo Lilly-West and the Head of the Police team that monitored the exercise at the zonal office of PHED at Mosco Road, Port Harcourt were satisfied with the security atmosphere of the exercise as it was very peaceful.
Lilly-West who also is the chairman, Rivers State Civil Service Union had also assured members of the public that picketing would remain peaceful.
He said, the picketing was in protest against the PHED management stance against workers unionism which is a constructional right of workers.
Lilly-West regretted that PHED, management had not shown commitment in implementing the tripartite agreement between the government, the company and workers which gave way for the take over of the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN).
He said the congress in response to casualisation which he termed slavery, non payment of severance package and refusal to absorb the work force by the private investors who took over from the PHCN amongst others was intended to protect the interest of its members in the company.
Another issue raised by NLC was allegation of a form distributed to workers in PHEDC which sought to know their interest in unionism, stressing that the company laid of most active members off workers union as it took over from PHCN and had also marked out any staff interested in allowing deduction of union fee from his or her monthly salary for sack.
“We have written series of letters to the company’s management but they have always turned them down, saying they don’t have any business with labour, Lilly-West said and insisted that the picketing would continue until management decides to open the window for discussion.
In Cross River, the State Chairman of NLC, Comrade John Ushie who led the picketing in the state accussed PHEDC of sacking 134 union leaders in its move to abolish trade union in the company.
“There is nowhere in the world that an organisation takes over and wants to abolish trade union activities in the company,” Ushie said, remarking that the picketing would not stop until the government meet their demand. He also stated that, the Nigerian law is against casualisation of workers in whatever form. After shunning a meeting called by the union thrice, they continued to demonstrate their unfriendly posture with the union.
The Chairman of Nigeria Union of Electricity Employee (NUEE) in Cross Rivers State, Comrade Daniel Asuquo who corraborated what the state NLC boss said explained that the new managers of PHEDC remained adamant and unwilling to negotiate with the workers on issues of severance allowances and entitlements.
According to Asuquo, the union came in solidarity with the state NLC so that the right of the Nigerian workers would not be trampled upon and called on the management of PHEDC to demonstrate courage by ensuring dialogue with the union to ensure safe landing for the workers who have been penciled down for lay off by the new company.
The Managing Director of 4 Power Consortium had told newsmen recently that PHEDC was thoroughly assessing workers performance as their contract duration ends soon.
He said a consultant had been contracted to handle the issue and stressed that the exercise was not intended in sack workers but in finding area where each worker can perform better.
The contract agreement ended on April 2014, but management of PHEDC extended it by one month which was expected to end last month.
Chris Oluoh
Prof Chinedu Nebo, Minister of Power
Former Senior Special Assistant to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan on Domestic Matters and Social Events, Dr Waripamowei Dudafa, has praised the Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri on his formal defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Dr Dudafa, who is also a former member of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly and one time commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Community Development, described the governor’s decision as a wise and well-considered move that aligns the State with the centre for accelerated development and greater political inclusion.
“Governor Diri’s decision reflects his pragmatic leadership style which has always been guided by consultation, inclusiveness, and the pursuit of the common good.
“Your Excellency, your decision to work in harmony with the ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’ of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu which is in synergy with your ‘Assured Prosperity’ vision will undoubtedly bring about the needed transformation and development for the people of Bayelsa State and the Niger Delta at large.
“Since assuming office, your guiding principle has been clear and consistent — to consult widely, act in the public interest, and deliver measurable development outcomes. That same principle has informed your latest political alignment, and it will continue to serve as a compass for your Assured Prosperity Administration”, he said.
He further praised the governor’s performance in office, stating that Gov. Diri’s administration has been characterized by purposeful governance and tangible results, reaffirming his continued loyalty and support for the governor, while also assuring that he and his associates will keep identifying with the Gov Diri’s administration in the collective effort to sustain peace, unity, and progress in the state.
While restating his continued solidarity with the governor’s leadership in the state, Dr Dudafa promised to lend his support to ensure that he finishes strong.
“Governor Diri’s political maturity and developmental focus have repositioned Bayelsa for a brighter future”, he added.
The Tide further learnt that Dr Dudafa once served as Special Adviser to a former governor of the State on Youth Mobilization and Empowerment.
“I want to again commend the governor for his courage and vision. His alignment of the State with the federal government under the Renewed Hope Agenda is a step toward ensuring inclusive governance and attracting more federal presence to the state”, he said.
By: Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa
A publication circulating online had quoted Alhaji Sheriff as saying, “It’s not me; it’s Shettima who created Boko Haram.”
But in a statement issued on Saturday, Alhaji Sheriff dismissed the report as a “complete fabrication” aimed at misleading the public and stirring political discord.
“The said story is a complete fabrication, devoid of truth, and a deliberate attempt to mislead the public, malign the person of Senator Sheriff, and sow discord within the nation’s political landscape,” the statement read.
Alhaji Sheriff said he never granted any interview or spoke to any journalist on the matter, adding that the falsehood was designed to undermine his long-standing commitment to peace and national unity.
“This false report is not only mischievous but also a dangerous piece of fake news aimed at undermining years of Senator Sheriff’s contributions to peace, national unity, and development, both in Borno State and across Nigeria,” the statement added.
The former governor urged members of the public and the media to disregard the publication, noting that he had directed his legal team to identify and pursue those behind the story.
“Senator Sheriff has instructed his legal team to take immediate steps to identify all individuals, bloggers, or media outlets responsible for the dissemination of this defamatory material.
“Should the false publication not be retracted and taken down forthwith, the Senator will not hesitate to seek full legal redress under the law”, his media office said.
Alhaji Sheriff reaffirmed his commitment to Nigeria’s security, stability, and democratic values and vowed to ensure that the spread of misinformation does not go unpunished.
Politics
Anambra Guber: I’m Not Impressed, LP Candidate Says …As Observers Lament Vote-buying, Low Voters Turnout
Mr Moghalu spoke to journalists on Saturday shortly after casting his vote at Uruagu Ward 1, Nnewi.
He urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to rise to its responsibility of making the process credible.
He also alleged voter apathy, attributing it to people’s lack of confidence in the electoral process.
Mr Moghalu said that even though it was too early to say whether the process was free, fair, and credible, he was not impressed.
“I am not impressed; there were no issues of glitches, at least for now. As we go along to monitor the process, we’ll confirm. In terms of voting, there’s an improvement over previous elections.
“I can’t say it’s free and fair because if you monetise a process, you weaponise poverty. What’s free about it? There’s no doubt there’s low voter turnout, and that has been the trend,” he stated.
The LP’s flag bearer stated that it was incumbent on INEC to continually improve the process, as voter apathy is a manifestation of a loss of confidence in the people.
Reports from Yiaga Africa, European Union Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EU-SDGN) II, and other partner organisations indicated that voter turnout was low in most polling units across the 21 local government areas of the state.
Speaking to journalists in Awka, the Executive Director of Yiaga Africa, Mr Samson Itodo, identified vote-buying and low turnout as recurring issues observed in the thematic areas of the election.
Also, Asabe Ndahi of the Kukah Centre decried logistical challenges, including the late arrival of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security officials in high-risk areas, such as Nkwelle-Ezunaka, Ihiala, Ogbaru, and Nnewi South.
She added that incidents of vote-buying and voter intimidation were recorded in several local government areas.
that votes were being traded for between N15,000 and N30,000.
“It is sad that bad governance is fuelling vote buying and selling.
“For an unemployed youth who sells his vote for ?30,000, what will he be paid next month when there is no election?
“By selling your vote, you are saying no school, no hospital, no jobs and selling away your future. This is worrisome”, he said.
He called on journalists to play an active role in exposing and curbing the menace.
The former presidential candidate also described all the hopefuls in the governorship race as his friends.
“Whoever wins, let him serve the people. Nigeria needs service now. We need to pull our people out of poverty,” he said,
Earlier, Mr George Moghalu, LP governorship candidate, said despite the heavy deployment of security personnel for the election, he had received reports of widespread vote-buying.
He also described the trend as “most unfortunate”, and warned that the crime undermines the integrity of the electoral process.
Mr Moghalu added that he remained optimistic on the outcome of the election, as he had campaigned extensively and presented his manifesto to the electorate.