Workers Should Not Be Intimidated During Osun Poll- NLC chair
The chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress in Osun State, Christopher Arapasopo, has said that civil servants in the state should not be intimidated before or during Saturday’s governorship poll.
Arapasopo, who spoke at a joint congress of NLC and the Trade Union Congress attended by workers and held at the entrance to Osun Government Secretariat, Abere, on Monday, said the labour leaders have been monitoring developments regarding the poll, and challenged civil servants to exercise their civic duties on the election day without fear.
The NLC Chairman, who absolved Governor Ademola Adeleke of any wrongdoing regarding the recent payment of N20,000 to the civil servants by the government, said the action was in response to a letter written by the labour leaders requesting palliative from the government for workers and pensioners in the state.
“This is just a mini congress of organised labour in Osun State for workers and pensioners. We are here to inform the general public about happenings in Osun and how we feel about it.
“On the 8th of April, the organised labour wrote a letter to His Excellency, Senator Ademola Jackson Nurudeen Adeleke. We requested and demanded palliatives for the workers and pensioners in the state. We requested N20,000 for each worker, and we later had a meeting earlier in July.
“We agreed based on the financial constraints in the state; the governor promised to pay N10,000 each for workers and pensioners. It was accepted by labour. In that meeting, I could recall that we requested that June and July be paid,” Arapasopo said.
He observed that allegations were raised on social media, allegedly by the All Progressives Congress members, who said the governor engaged in vote-buying through the payment.
“They tagged it vote buying of which they didn’t know. The labour leaders were the ones that requested palliatives for workers to cushion the effects of economic troubles in the country, of which Osun State is not an exception,” he said.
According to him, the congress was organised to send a warning signal to any party that attempts to intimidate civil servants, pensioners and the people of Osun State.
He appealed to President Bola Tinubu to rein in the Osun APC, saying, “The governorship election should not be war. We as workers and pensioners of Osun State have every right to vote for whosoever pleases us.
“No worker must be intimidated, no harassment of anybody, and not to talk of any citizen of Osun State. We are appealing that this election should be free and fair. We are appealing to the international community to switch on their searchlight on Osun State.
“The Police should do their work. Their work is to protect citizens and not taking side.”
Electorate in the state will be going to August 15 to elect a governor, and the Independent National Electoral Commission has cleared 14 political parties to participate in the poll.
