The Trade Union Congress has warned that the planned protest on February 27th and 28th being championed by the Nigeria Labour Congress may lead to anarchy, saying that the country was too volatile and tense because of the prevailing hunger in the land.
This warning was made by the Deputy President of the TUC, Dr. Tommy Etim, on Saturday, after the union backed out, saying it was not aware of the planned rally
Speaking on why the TUC backed out of the proposed protest, the labour leader accused the President of the NLC, Joe Ajaero, of running a one-man show by failing to carry members of the TUC along in his decision to declare a two-day strike.
Etim said the NLC had slighted the TUC in making unilateral decisions four times, adding that it was now a deliberate act.
He said, “When one claims that a mistake is done and it is one that a mistake can be accepted as a mistake, but, when it is up to four times, it is now a deliberate action.”
“The first thing is that when you issue an ultimatum to the government, the NEC is supposed to meet to review it. When they do, they will then make a decision.”
“In this case, the ultimatum given to the Federal Government was still on and the NLC president decided to announce that they would be going on protest as though he had not been in industrial relations practice or law. It baffles us. We cannot take that.”
“What is the essence of unionism if you don’t come together for a particular cause? So, adopting a situation where two centres have been on the ground and one feels it has superior knowledge is not a good one at all.”
“I feel that he should be sensitive to know that the struggle is not a one-party affair and we must save the country. We have to be a united force. And we have also said that a people united cannot be defeated. The President must leave up to his responsibility.”
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