Suspension of Strike: Workers Call for Resignation of Wabba, TUC President

By Joy Okosieme

Some Nigerian workers disappointed by the decision of Organized Labour to call off the September 28 strike scheduled in protest against hike in fuel price and electricity tariffs, have called for the resignation of Comrade Ayuba Wabba, President of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), and Comrade Quadri Olaleye.

The workers under the aegis of All Workers Convergence(AWC) said they were demanding the resignation of the two labour leaders because they had betrayed Nigerian workers and the masses.

Andrew Emelieze, the National Coordinator of the AWC, who signed a statement on behalf of the group, accused the leaders of Nigerian Labour of abandoning workers and the Nigerian people and had opted instead to fight on behalf of government to whom it had become an appendage.

The AWC leader who until recently was the chairman of the TUC in Oyo State, said:

“Posterity will  judge labour leaders for the opportunities they had to fight alongside with the people but they have sheepishly  chosen to sell out. Labour leaders should bury their heads in shame for the game is over.  We don’t believe anything good can come out of their parley with government. Labour is now an appendage of government and all their activities are making mockery of trade unionism  in Nigeria.

He said labour leadership in Nigeria had become a “bureaucracy of caricatures” who are not clear headed about real ideologies of the working people’s struggle.

“Labour has failed the  Nigerian workers. Painfull is the fact that labour leaders are working to kill the labour movement in Nigeria”, he said.

Emelieze said Nigerian workers condemn in strong terms the betrayal of the Nigerian people by labour.

“We therefore,  pass a vote  of no confidence on the leadership of the NLC and the TUC and we call on the duo of Ayuba Wabba and Quadri Olaleye to resign honourable  as  presidents of our labour centers in Nigeria”, he stated.