Organised Labour has stated that nothing will stop it from embarking on its planned nationwide, indefinite strike and protests come Wednesday, October 3, insisting that it is not in contempt of a court order.
The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Lateef Fagbemi, had on Friday, said that the proposed strike was in clear violation of the pending interim injunctive order granted on June 5, 2023, restraining both the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), from embarking on any industrial action or strike pending the hearing and determination of the pending motion on notice.
However, in response to his comments, NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, stated in a statement that the Congress found it curious that Fagbemi, a well-bred professional, could indulge in such talk.
Ajaero expressed surprise that the AGF was still making reference to a restraining order that had been imposed on June 5 through motion exparte and that the Ministry of Justice had said had expired due to non-diligent prosecution in a formal statement.
“Which order could Fagbemi be talking about here, we demand to know. We similarly, find it necessary to remind Fagbemi that equating a restraining order to a perpetual injunction will do no small damage to our legal/judicial system” he started.
The NLC president further blamed the court for refusing to sit during the pendency of the order to accept its response, while accusing Fagbemi of being partisan.
“There are two ministerial portfolios whose offices constitutionally do not admit partisanship in the discharge of their duties. These are Minister of Labour and Employment, and Minister of Justice. In addition to their regular duties, they are expected to play the umpire role.
“But here we find a Minister of Justice whose first major outing is not only an open partisanship but has descended into the arena with his robe and wig, losing in the process the umpire status!
“To gag us, to bind us, to tie us to the pole for life without a chance to hear us out will constitute not just malicious conduct but grievous injury to our fundamental human rights as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
“We refuse to be gagged. We also want to remind those in power of their own history when they were out of power!
“We find it pathetic that Mr Fagbemi strives to operate from the high moral ground by advising ‘Labour Unions on the need to protect the integrity of courts and observe the sanctity of court orders.’ “Who is causing more injury to the sanctity of the courts? Those seeking to convert a restraining order obtained under the cover of the night to a perpetual injunction or the victims of this terrorism?
On its part, the TUC referred to the order as a “black market injunction”, adding that the federal government did not have the moral standing to accuse the labour centres of disobeying court orders.
General Secretary of TUC, Comrade Nuhu Toro said: “The Federal Government and the government of Nigeria are not practising what they preach. I make bold to say this because, there is a subsisting court judgement in Lagos, delivered at the National Industrial Court, sitting in Lagos which stated that Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) is on the exclusive legislative list and therefore, the Lagos State Government has no business interfering in their activities, but as I speak to you today, they did not just disrespect the court ruling, they are still perpetuating themselves in the seizure of their property.
“If the government is preaching upholding the rule of law, they should show it so that Nigerians will know that they are really practicing what they preach.
He restated the congresses decision to embark on a strike, adding that addressing their demands is the only thing that can stop them.
“The court order is a black market injunction in my opinion and we are going ahead with our mobilisation.
“We have tabled our demands and the government has refused to take action, and if at the eleventh hour, they are trying to cry foul, then they should do the needful. They know what the issues are they should attend to the issues.
Reacting to concerns that the strike may further put Nigerians into hardship instead of helping the situation, he said: “this assertion is not correct, because the poor man and the poor worker are already down. They are not afraid of falling again because they are already down. So, if this is the only thing we will do to bring them out of the suffering that the government has pushed them into as a result of the thoughtless removal of fuel subsidies, we will do it.”
NLC and TUC, at a joint emergency meeting in Abuja on Tuesday, resolved to embark on an indefinite strike with effect from October 3 following Federal Government’s failure to address the suffering and other socio-economic hardships occasioned by the removal of subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol.