NLC vows to resist intimidation, asks workers to vote well

IGP threatens to dismiss partisan cops
The state chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has warned politicians against intimidating its members.

NLC Chairman, Raymond Ade Adesanmi, spoke at a press conference to close the union’s interactive session with governorship candidates.

He disclosed that all the candidates engaged by the workers had what it takes to lead the state as governor.

Adesanmi urged workers to mobilise adequately and be ready to exercise their civic responsibility by voting for candidates of their choice.

He said: “Without mincing words, Ekiti State is blessed with lots of potentials, and there is none of the candidates who cannot govern the state.

“Workers should go out and mobilise their defendants to vote according to their conscience.”

He added that the NLC is apolitical, adding that the session afforded them the chance to analysis the candidates’’ manifestoes.

He said they also addressed the plight of workers and presented the union’s position paper on their expectations.

He disclosed that the labour unions would give whoever wins the election three months to clear the backlog of salaries, otherwise they would mobilise against the government.

According to him, if the present administration is unable to pay the arrears of salaries before its tenure ends, labour would give the next government between the given option to clear all out-standings, including pension and gratuities.

He stressed that the NLC would stand against any act of intimidation of its members.

While noting that the security agents have the right to invite its members for questioning, it warned that they should not be ridiculed for political gains.

“We are saying without mincing words that the political gladiators in Ekiti should stop intimidating our members. Information at our disposal says that some of our members would be arrested.

“Government agencies reserve the right to invite members for interaction, but labour is against indiscriminate arrests and intimidation,” he said.

He said the state should be allowed to have peace, adding that the election is not worth the blood of anybody.

Meanwhile, the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris, has threatened to dismiss any officer found hobnobbing with politicians in a way that could give undue advantage to any candidate.

Idris urged his men to be neutral, in line with the new creed of the Nigeria Police to serve Nigerians with dignity and honesty.

He spoke in Ado Ekiti yesterday through the Commander in charge of Public Complaints’ Rapid Response Unit (PCRRU), Abayomi Shogunle, at a lecture organised for Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) and other officers and men.

He urged the security men to ensure that they act professionally and not allow politicians to soil their career.