Worried by the divisive, combative and autocratic style of the new President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Joe Ajaero, the Imo State Government has predicted that the Congress may soon disintegrate under his watch except something is urgently done by the workers to save the situation.
It disclosed that Ajaero has not only enmeshed the new executive into avoidable partisan politics but has a hidden agenda detrimental to the welfare of Nigerian workers.
Reacting to the allegations by Ajaero that the government meddled in the botched election of the state chapter of NLC, the State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Declan Emelumba accused him of lying to cover his “dirty role in the sordid affair.”
“Apart from being a pathological liar, available information to the government is that it was Ajaero himself that actually disrupted the election because he wanted to impose his stooge on the workers,” Emelumba submitted.
According to him, instead of allowing the normal delegates to cast their votes in accordance with laid down rules, Ajaero suddenly changed the rules at the last minute, which the workers resisted.
He noted that when it became obvious that Ajaero wanted to impose one George from his local government as the NLC chairman in Imo against the wishes of the majority, the workers rose against the NLC leadership and insisted that the elections will not hold.
He denied that agents of the government attacked any delegate as alleged by Ajaero, and challenged him to produce any evidence of his claim, insisting that no government official was at the venue of the election.
“It is unfortunate that a reputable labour union like NLC now has a President that is not only clannish but impulsive and a liar as well,” Emelumba said.
He disclosed that the security agents went to the venue to restore law and order when it was obvious that Ajaero had lost control of the situation.
Emelumba described Ajaero as a divisive leader who, a few years ago, had formed a parallel United Labour Congress when he lost the presidential election of NLC.
He said the man was yet to purge himself of such divisive tendencies, hence his decision to impose an unpopular candidate on Imo workers.
The Commissioner also requested the interrogation of the agenda of Ajaero whose priority he said is to cause division and havoc in the South East.
Said he, “We should really know what this man wants. He is not up to two months in office and his focus is to destabilize the states in his home zone. He started with Ebonyi, went to Abia and is now causing havoc in his home state of Imo.”
Emelumba said a security report available to the Government showed that Ajaero signed an agreement with the said George to make the state ungovernable for Governor Uzodimma.
To confirm that fact, both Ajaero and George “whom he has illegally installed as caretaker chairman” have asked workers to go on strike for no just cause.
“We don’t have any trade disputes with workers. We do not owe them any salary. We are now working on their promotion. So under which basis will they go on strike?” he asked.
The Commissioner urged the workers to completely ignore such calls, saying that the Government remains committed to a robust working relationship with labour.
