The Imo State government has said that the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Joe Ajaero is the real dictator ailing the workers in Imo State and not Governor Hope Uzodimma.
The government spoke on Tuesday in respect of the claim in Ajaero’s recent press statement that the leaders of the 22 industrial unions of the NLC in Imo State who organised the Labour Day celebration on May 1, were stooges of the State government.
In a statement by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Declan Emelumba, Ajaero’s attitude is being driven by his vaunting selfish political and clannish ambition to impose those he wants to manipulate as slaves working in his manor.
The government regretted that Ajaero has abandoned his huge responsibility as the National President of NLC to assume the position of defacto Chairman of Imo NLC, noting that those who said he lacks the capacity to play at the national level of the NLC before now must have reasoned from experience.
Emelumba’s statement read in full:
“It is to the glory of God that, contrary to the vain wishes of the President of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Joe Ajaero, Imo workers and pensioners converged at Ndubuisi Kanu Square , Owerri, yesterday, May 1st, 2023, for yet another memorable May Day celebration. The smiles and clear expressions of joy on the faces of the thousands of workers who turned up for the historic event clearly showed that they were neither coerced nor intimidated to be present.
“They were simply there on their own accord. Yet, this is the impression Mr Joe Ajaero wants to create by his press release of 30th April, 2023. For the records, this could not be further from the truth. For instance, some of the senior citizens and pensioners who prayed for Governor Hope Uzodimma couldn’t have been compelled to do so because they are no longer in service.
“Yet, Ajaero, in his reckless press statements, claimed that the leaders of the 22 industrial unions of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) in the state who organised the Labour day celebration, were stooges of the state government. This is simply laughable because these union leaders were there long before Ajaero emerged the President of NLC. It is an open secret that the grouse Ajaero has with these leaders is that they refused to be recruited into his hate force to amplify his rabid hatred for the Governor and the state government, fired purely by his selfish political and clannish interests.
“That was why he negated due process and quickly moved to install a Caretaker Committee for NLC in Imo state, and went on to appoint his classmate, friend and kinsman the chairman.
“Inspite of his spirited efforts to intimidate the workers in the state , to his utter shame, the workers, in appreciation of what His Excellency, Senator Hope Uzodimma has done for them and the people of Imo State, endorsed him for re – election as Governor of Imo state. To them, the rantings of Joe Ajaero meant absolutely nothing.
“It is indeed curious that Joe Ajaero has chosen to be the de -facto Chairman of NLC in Imo State, instead of the National President. Otherwise, why did he dissipate all his energy to pour vituperation on Governor Hope Uzodimma, instead of addressing burning national issues affecting Nigerian workers? And there are so many of such problems to be addressed on a day like this.
“It is instructive that before the election of Comrade Ajaero as the President of NLC, which was just three months ago, the NLC, both at the National and state levels, had no issues with the State government. As a matter of fact, the state government and the national leadership of NLC, after a fruitful meeting in Owerri on January 29th, 2021, signed a communique which underscored the harmonious relationship between the union and the government.
“In fact, the first sentence at the communique was that “the NLC commended the state government for the prompt and regular payment of workers salaries as and when due, even in a harsh economic situation”. Among the signatories to that communique is the incumbent Secretary General of NLC. Emmanuel Ugboaja, who was also the Secretary General then. So what changed in NLC, so much so that since the last three months, the NLC has been coming up with bogus, baseless and utter falsehood against the State Government, ranging from claims of 22 months salary areas and the sacking of 11,000 workers, etc?
“But in the actual fact, these gains recognised by the NLC in 2021 have actually blossomed and yielded more fruits. The Organized labour in Imo state listed some of the government’s welfare achievements for workers at the May Day celebration to include : Comprehensive free health insurance scheme for Imo workers.
“Renovation of the state secretariat, most extensive since 2005. Promotion areas for of all staff, since 2014, with clear records of staff strength and categorisation. Regular payment of pensioners and the kick starting of payment of gratuities, last paid in 2007. Provision of official cars to permanent secretaries and free staff buses for workers, and many more.
“However, the only thing that changed since the 2021 communique, which has made the present NLC not to take cognizance of these achievements, is that one Joe Ajaero, an Imo son, with vaulting political ambitions and rabid hatred for Governor Hope Uzodimma, is now the NLC President. This is the fact.
“So, while it is understandable that Ajaero is still smarting from his abysmal failure to foist a stooge as the leader of Imo Workers, he is expected to conduct himself with decorum. He should also accept the plain fact that he cannot come to Imo to dictate to the workers on how they should relate with the state government. Yes, he is the President of NLC, but the workers are not his slaves .
” He does not own them. Unionism is after all a voluntary thing. Ajaero himself demonstrated this when he formed his own United Labour Congress ( UlC), after he lost the NLC presidency a few years . What is now clear to even the undiscerning is that Ajaero has a sinister agenda in Imo state.
“The National Executive Council of NLC must not allow him to use a noble organisation such as NLC as a platform to fight his personal and clannish political battles in Imo state. They must also not allow him create an atmosphere of rancour which could threaten the peaceful transfer of power in the country come May 29th. It is worth mentioning that Ajaero’s unbridled political ambition once turned the NLC to a divided house with daggers drawn. He must not be allowed to precipitate that inglorious infamy a second time as the NLC may not recover from a second fall.
“His Lilliputian efforts to blackmail both the governor and the workers have failed, going by the award bestowed on His Excellency by the thousands of workers. This was done in utter scorn of his lame propaganda against the Governor and his administration.
“It is unfortunate that Joe Ajaero has been blinded by political and pecuniary considerations to continue to stoke the embers of discord in Imo State, his home state, as if that was the sole reason he was nominated the President of NLC.
“It is worrisome that a man who previously staged a coup against the NLC because his vaulting ambition was cut short is now employing the same office for vendetta, thus confirming the fears of those who initially opposed his ambition on the grounds that he was unfit for the high and sensitive position of NLC President.
“In as much as we have resisted the temptation to buy into the opinion in some quarters that Ajaero is suffering from a chronic psychopathic disorder that makes him worse than a bull in a China shop, particularly when given power, his continued uncoordinated and baseless attacks on the state governor and Imo workers tend to lend credence to that position.
“How else can one situate his threat to Judges presiding over the presidential election tribunal that they would face dire consequences unless they rule against the President – elect, if not from the angle of a psychopath let loose? This should be a food for thought for our security agencies.
“Just recently, he went to the Labour House to harass and intimidate officers duly recognized by law, thus exposing his contempt and derision for the judiciary. Again, only a man, who sees his office as larger than life, can embark on such mindless mission. It is, therefore, left to Nigerians to judge between Governor Hope Uzodimma, who had always believed in the rule of law, and Joe Ajaero, whose militancy is antithetical to the same rule of law. So, who actually is the dictator here?
“For the umpteenth time, Imo workers have no issues with the State Government. Joe Ajaero is an interloper driven by selfish and political ambition. A single individual can never impose his classmate, friend and kinsman on the workers as their Chairman. The earlier he faces this simple truth, the better for him.”