The organised labour has accused Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike of sponsoring industrial tyranny.
Ayuba Wabba, the president of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and Trade Union Congress, TUC, Quari Olaleye spoke at a news conference on Thursday, September 3, 2020, in Abuja.
They said in a statement that the unions would embark on a peaceful protest on September 8 in Port Harcourt.
It reads: “This is to alert Nigerians to the birth of new progeny of authoritarianism, industrial tyranny, state-sponsored violence and terrorism against workers and citizens by Rivers State.
“The August 27 attack on NLC leaders was only the tipping of a calculated attempt by the state to eviscerate, incarcerate and decimate labour leadership…
“Workers have never had it so bad under a governor as Wike who sees himself as a demi-god with no scruples for the rule of law or decency.
‘’He has arrogated and appropriated to himself the powers of the executive, the judiciary, the legislature, and the vicious powers of underground non-state operatives…loyal to Wike.
“Workers are not cowed and will never be cowed … We will continue to demand that the rights of our workers…must be respected. We will never shirk from this sacred mandate.”
But the government refused to join issues with labour. It said the matter was in court.
Paulinus Nsirim, the commissioner for Information and Communications said the state earlier obtained an injunction stopping activity of unions pending determination of the substantive suit.
Source: The Nation
