| NLC defies police,
holds rally
MURPHY GANAGANA, GODWIN TSA, ANSALEM OKOLO, Abuja
Wednesday, August 25, 2004
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| • Abuja Police
Commissioner, Mr. Lawrence Alobi warning President of
Nigeria’s Labour Congress, Adams Oshiomhole against
yesterday’s rally AFP PHOTO |
Sun News Publishing
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Despite heavy police presence Tuesday, the Nigeria Labour
Congress (NLC) held the rally organised to protest the Federal
Government’s plan to bulkanise the congress.
The workers’ determination to hold the rally was manifest
as they dared the police before retreating to the Labour House
after being stopped while marching to the National Assembly
Complex, Abuja.
Anti-riot policemen, including a unit of mobile policemen
and plain-clothes detectives of the FCT Police Command, had
taken strategic positions around the Labour House, headquarters
of the NLC as early as 6 am Tuesday, in a bid to stop the
planned protest. The police team was led by two Assistant
Commissioners of Police, Mr. Lawrence Alobi, the Commissioner
of Police in charge of Federal Operations.
Though the NLC had mobilised its members and civil society
groups for the rally, the police disallowed a procession out
of its headquarters, on the grounds that it would be hijacked
by hoodlums. The police, however, had a hectic time persuading
the NLC leadership to abort the rally, as he was consistently
booed by workers amidst solidarity songs.
The police had justified its decision to abort the rally,
saying that besides security implications, the NLC did not
obtain a permit for the event.
"We have to stop them from holding the rally because
the due process of law was not followed," Force Public
Relations Officer, Mr. Chris Olakpe, told Daily Sun in Abuja.
But speaking at the rally, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, NLC president,
said the passage of the controversial bill before the National
Assembly would signal the beginning of the collapse of the
Nigerian democracy.
He spoke as some members of House of Representatives dissociated
themselves from the decision of the House leadership to forbid
NLC from holding the rally earlier planned for the National
Assembly premises against the bill.
The NLC President declared: "If they pass the law, they
will win the war, but they will lose the battle. What is the
battle? They want a country of grave yard where nobody can
talk."
Oshiomohle had a message for the government and those he described
as its agents. "We are saying to them that if they want
to test whether this law can destroy us, let them go and increase
fuel price after they would have passed the act. We will show
them by organizing the mother of all strikes all over Nigeria.
If they pass this bill and they increase fuel price and Nigerian
workers are alive, we will, under a coalition of willing partners,
organize the mother of all strikes in Nigerian history. We
did it before and will do it again".
He said the Labour movement in the country was today more
united. "The industrial unions are more united. Last
week, they signed a declaration reminding the government that
we’re united in full freedom. If tomorrow they think
that by passing this law they would take decisions against
the interest of Nigerians, we as individuals, we as Nigerians,
we as unions, with or without check-off, we will mobilize
to protest it.
"So, there are no escape route for any one who wants
to turn Nigeria to a grave yard. What is on trial is the destiny
of the Nigerian nation and the Nigerian political and democratic
project. If they want to wreck it, we will fight them because
many of them never participated in enthroning it."
Meanwhile, an Abuja High Court has fixed September 3, 2004
for hearing in the suit filed by the NLC, challenging the
Bill sent to the National Assembly by President Olusegun Obasanjo.
However, attempts by the NLC to get the order of the court
stopping the National Assembly from passing the labour bill
failed as the court held that its powers do not extend to
interfering in the internal affairs of the legislatures.
The trial Judge, Justice Baba Yusuf, explained that he will
be unable to grant the stay as there is the need in exercising
the principles of separation of powers. ''Therefore, I will
be unable to grant the stay," he said.
He, however, granted the NLC leave to enforce its fundamental
human rights.
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