Ex- Labours Forum Condemns Call For Fubara’s Impeachment
…Backs Fubara’s Insistance To Conduct Oct 5 LG polls
Former Labour Leaders Forum in Rivers State have condemned the police presence in the 23 local government councils, demanding their immediate withdrawal to allow civil servants to resume work.
In a press conference held in Port Harcourt, on Tuesday, the forum called on the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun to order his men to vacate the councils, citing the loss of revenue and deprivation of workers’ rights.
Chairman of the Forum, Dr Achese Igwe, questioned the rationale of the order to lock up the third tear of government when there was no court order to that effect, arguing that the IGP arrogated powers upon himself to cripple a government.
He said: “This is a government on its own, the IGP whose Constitutional is to enforce the law, took the sole decision to shut down the operation of the entire 23 councils in Rivers state, without a court order to back up his action.”
He, however, urged the Presidents of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC), and NEC to intervene in the situation, decrying the loss of revenue accruing to the shut down councils and the deprivation of the rights of the workers in the affected councils of serving their people.
Igwe, while reacting on recent call by the factional National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) in Rivers State, Nwisabari Bani for the impeachment of Governor Siminilayi Fubara, describing the call as “above their person and capacity”.
“The Forum condemned in its totality the recent call by an embattled faction of the National Youth Council of Nigeria in Rivers State by one Nwisabari Bani on the defunct Rivers state House of Assembly led by Chike Amaewhule to commence impeachment proceedings on the Governor of Rivers state and called on him to IMMEDIATELY retract such statement as it was above his person and capacity.”
He backed Governor Fubara’s stance on the October 5 Local Government polls, urging agitators to support the election. He also appealed to political parties to participate in the polls.
The forum further called on the Nigerian state to respect the rights of organised labour, allowing them to operate within the provisions of the law without interference from security operatives.
“We call on the agitators for the holding of the October 5 Local Government polls in Rivers state to support Governor Siminilayi Fubara who has made it clear that the election must hold comes October 5 this year.
“It would be wrong and abnormal that same people who were calling for Local Government polls are the same one calling for the postponement of the polls.
“The coast is set for the polls, it’s our strong appeal that every political party participate in the polls.”
In a show of solidarity, the forum expressed their support for Governor Fubara.
He also expressed concern over “warring comments” by some political actors, urging them to allow the present administration to govern without incessant political upheavals and distractions.
“We make bold to say that we are not comfortable with the utterances of one man who enjoyed a peaceful reign in Rivers State for eight (8) years.
Enough is enough of your incessant distraction to the present administration in the state.
Rivers people need peace. No one has the monopoly of the smooth administration of Rivers State
Ex- Labours Forum Condemns Call For Fubara’s Impeachment is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
