A former National Vice President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Isa Tijjani, has accused the National President of the Union, Joe Ajaero of alleged moves to plunge Nigeria into economic and political crisis using his excessive strike actions.
Tijjani, who spoke to newsmen in Kano on Saturday, alleged that the President of the NLC, Joe Ajaero is up to something considering his frequent strike calls, even when clearly the government was on top of issues raised.
He noted in disagreement with the NLC President, that bargaining power is not always hundred percent, insisting that as a pressure group when you have sixty to seventy percent of what you are looking for then you negotiate and allow peace to reign.
“The integrity of NLC today is at stake because they have deviated from their main jobs of protecting the collective rights of Nigerians while President Joe Ajaero is ill-equipped to continue as leader of the most prestigious Union in Nigeria”.
“But in the case of Joe Ajaero, even when the government is making frantic efforts to solve the issues raised by the NLC, he still insists on going on strike, or protest, clearly showing that he doesn’t mean well for this Country”.
Isa Tijjani reminded the NLC President that some of the issues he is insisting on have some elements of a global touch, for example, economic recession, Nigeria cannot be an exception, the President is doing his possible best to tackle the country’s problems.
“I don’t know the kind of NLC, Comrade Joe Ajaero is leading, in those days we were held with high esteem whenever we barked, we had a serious reason to shout and we were listened to, but today the NLC is acting as if they have some ulterior motives away from the real issues”.
Isa Tijjani cautioned, “How can NLC ask for N450,000 minimum wage, which every right thinking person knows is practically impossible, how much a state is having and how much are they today spending as salaries and other wages, which of the Nigeria States or local government can pay such kind of minimum wage”.
“Furthermore we don’t seem to understand that salaries are not increased by figure but by percentage and even at that, today a local government is paying as salary 58 percent of its total income, how much are they getting, so, we should be realistic in our bargaining”.
The former NLC boss, however, disagreed with President Tinubu that the NLC is an opposition party and that they should stand for election in 2027, explaining that such a statement should not have come from the President.
”Rather than making such comments, the President should call for a colloquium to discuss issues at stake, as a means to address the prevailing situations.”
Excessive Strikes: Joe Ajaero’s actions can plunge Nigeria into crisis – Isa Tijjani