In a response to the directive of the Labour Union, comprising the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) following last week’s brutalisation of the NLC President, Joe Ajaero, in Owerri, unions in the aviation industry on Wednesday, directed the withdrawal of all flights to Owerri, Imo State, from all airports in Nigeria.
The Informant247 gathered in a joint statement by the aviation unions including the National Union Of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals (ANAP) and the National Association of Aircraft Pilots And Engineers (NAAPE).
The joint statement by their General-Secretaries, including Comrades Ocheme Aba; NUATE, Frances Akinjole; ATSSSAN, Abdul Rasaq Saidu; ANAP and Umoh Ofonime, NAAPE, also declared Governor Hope Uzodimma persona non grata in all airports.
The statement read: “Following the escalation of the imbroglio created by the mayhem unleashed on workers by the Imo State Government of Hope Uzodimma and continued insensitivity of the Government over the matter; and in compliance with the directive of the joint NEC session of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), the above named unions, being affiliates of NLC and TUC, hereby direct all aviation workers (both public and private) to withdraw all services to all Owerri flights (inwards and outwards) from any airport in Nigeria with effect from midnight of 08/11/2023 (today).
“In addition, the person of Hope Uzodimma, the Governor of Imo State is hereby declared persona non grata at all airports in Nigeria until he purges himself of bestial tendencies.
“Our unions will make further efforts through our international affiliations to blacklist Hope Uzodimma worldwide.
“Furthermore, all aviation workers in Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport, owerri are hereby directed to stay at home, also with effect from midnight today (08/11/2023) as directed by NLC and TUC.
“Based on the above, the State Councils and all Branches of the unions will meet today at 5pm in Lagos and Abuja to agree on modalities for carrying out the above directive. The meeting in Lagos will hold at NUATE Secretariat, while that of Abuja will be at GAT (pilgrims’ terminal).
“By this notice, the airports’ managements, airlines operating into and out of Owerri, intending airport passengers into and out of Owerri, and the general public are hereby advised about this situation so as to be forewarned.”
In a further measure to protest the brutality of Joe Ajaero, the President of Nigeria Labour Congress by the operatives of the Nigeria Police Force, the organised Labour comprising the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress on Tuesday, ordered a shutdown of electricity and fuel supplies in Imo State, while also directing aviation workers to ensure that flights into and outside the state are suspended.
This is according to one of the decisions taken at the extraordinary National Executive Council meeting summoned by the TUC and NUC on Tuesday afternoon.
“The NEC-in-session orders the immediate withdrawal of services and shutdown of Imo State beginning midnight today. All workers and affiliates are expected to ensure compliance from wherever they are. All flights into and out of Imo state, fuel supplies and Electricity be stopped immediately as applicable. All Public and Private Sector workers are to immediately down tools indefinitely,” a communique released at the end of the meeting noted.
Attack on Ajaero: Labour declares nationwide strike effective from November 14
The Informant247 had earlier reported that the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), in a solidarity move to protest the brutality of the union president, Joe Ajaero, the organised labour comprising of the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress on Tuesday, declared a nationwide strike effective Tuesday, November 14, 2023.
It was learned that the leadership of the two unions reached the resolution after an extraordinary National Executive Council meeting in Abuja, as confirmed by an official who told the newsmen under the condition of anonymity because he was not permitted to disclose details ahead of a scheduled press release by the labour centres.
The Informant247 had earlier reported that the leadership of the labour unions have summoned an extraordinary National Executive Council meeting.
The National Vice-President of the TUC, Tommy Etim, while making this known on Tuesday in an interview with newsmen, said the aim of the meeting is to review the modalities of the planned strike following the brutalisation of the National President of the NLC, Joe Ajaero, review the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Federal Government and the Organized Labour on October 2, 2023, following the removal of the subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit which the Labour centres said has caused “untold hardship” to Nigerians.
He stated, “We will be holding an extraordinary NEC meeting any moment from now. The modalities include the injustice meted upon comrade Ajaero, the planned strike and the MOU signed with the Federal Government. More details will be revealed after the meeting.”
The Informant247 reports that the organised labour, comprising the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress, on Friday, issued a five-day ultimatum over the earlier arrest of the National President of the NLC, Joe Ajaero, by the police in Owerri, Imo State, on Wednesday, the strike centred on the demand of the labour unions for the redeployment of the commissioner of police in the state and the arrest and prosecution of the aide of the government who was alleged to have perpetrated the attack.
The unions also threatened to embark on a nationwide industrial action if their demands were not met in five days from Friday.
Ajaero was arrested by the police ahead of the state-wide protest in Imo on Wednesday. This was disclosed by the NLC’s Head of Information, Benson Upah.
Although the police denied arresting Ajaero, stating that he was merely taken into protective custody to prevent a mob attack, the Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, accused the labour leader of meddling in the political affairs of the state.
The attack on the labour leader has been condemned by many prominent Nigerians and civil society organisations, including the presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 elections, Peter Obi, and human rights lawyer, Mr Femi Falana (SAN).
Attack on Ajaero: Election in Imo not compulsory, says NLC
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has also said that it is not compulsory that the governorship election scheduled for November 11, 2023 in Imo is held as planned.
Uchenna Ekwe, the NLC Head International Relation, while stating this in an interview on Channels TV on Wednesday, said that the Imo people had been plagued by violence and that the election would not produce anything, adding that the workers in Imo did not have faith that the election would determine anything.
He said, “Talking about the election, in Imo in particular, did the votes count? How did he (Hope Uzodinma) become governor? In Imo, is the place not terrorized?
“Go to Imo I challenge you, you won’t see a poster of any other party, you can’t even see a tiny poster of any other party. Get feedback from your correspondents in Imo, ask them in the whole street on Owerri wether there is a poster of any other party.
“How can you say election is coming up, INEC meeting was disrupted, how can you hope that there will be any election, we don’t have faith, even the workers don’t have faith that the election will determine anything, that is the truth.
“We don’t believe election in Imo will produce anything because the Imo people have been crushed, violence have taken over the place. We are not telling them not to come out to vote but the people will be scared to come out.
“If people have run away from their homes before the election and in the build up to election, people are being attacked everyday, would you advise your family to come out, why should we say people should not come out to vote but we are scared people will not out to vote.”
Ekwe maintained that the world would not end if the election was not held as planned.
“Must there be election in Imo, will the world end? Will the world end if there is no election in Imo State? No, the world would not end, we are not disrupting election,” he added.