The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Ayuba Wabba

  • Restructuring not a substitute for good governance – NLC

    Restructuring not a substitute for good governance – NLC

    The president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Ayuba Wabba, said on Monday that restructuring of the country cannot be a substitute for good governance and respect for the rule of law.

    Wabba stated this in Abuja at a symposium with the theme: “Making Nigeria Work for the People,” organised by the NLC to mark Nigeria’s 57th independence anniversary.

    He said one of the problems facing Nigeria was the absence of good governance.

    He said: “This crisis of good governance is exemplified by the massive corruption in our body politics.

    “This in turn is responsible for the huge unemployment crisis, poor service delivery and continuous absence of dividends of democracy for majority of our people.

    “The latest manifestation of this is the refusal by a number of states government to fulfill their elementary obligations to their workers by not paying salaries and pensions as at when due.

    “So, for us in the Congress, we look at restructuring as that which cannot be a substitute for good governance and respect for the rule of law.”

    Wabba said as long as the political and bureaucratic elites continue to misappropriate and divert resources meant for development, the nation would not overcome its developmental challenges.

    The NLC president urged the Federal Government to reconstitute the National Minimum Wage Negotiating Council to negotiate a new minimum wage for workers.

    He warned that workers were running out of patience over the delay in reconstituting the Minimum Wage Council.

    “The 2011 collective agreement entered into with the government at the last negotiations, provided for five years cycle for reopening negotiations, which is overdue.

    “Secondly, all economic indexes such as inflationary rate, cost of living, exchange rate, high cost of goods and services, among others, have shown that the current minimum wage of N18, 000 is obsolete.

    “There is an urgent need for the government to give the go ahead for these negotiations to start as workers are running out of patience,’’ he added.

    NAN

  • NLC threatens to name, shame governors owing salaries

    NLC threatens to name, shame governors owing salaries

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has threatened to name and shame state governors, who refused to pay complete salaries to workers in the country, in spite of the bailout funds.

    Mr Ayuba Wabba, NLC President said this at the National Executive Council meeting of the Non Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) on Tuesday in Abuja.

    Wabba said that some state governors have refused to effectively utilise both the bailout funds and the Paris Club refund given to them by the Federal Government.

    According to him, 10 out of the 36 states are particularly guilty of the offence, while six of the ten states were in terrible situation. We have promised to name and shame them.

    “The congress has directed all states chapters whose members are owed more than three months’ salaries arrears to declare an industrial action and we have promised to name and shame them.

    “The states include Imo that has been paying workers’ salaries in percentage and has not declared utilization of the bailout fund and Paris club refund.

    “”They paid 40 per cent pension to their pensioners without their consent and provided a form for them to sign under duress. That is not allowed in law.

    “We have Bayelsa which has between five to 10 months’ arrears, Ondo is owing between four and six, Ekiti, (five to eight), Benue (five to eight) and Kogi which is the worst case scenario.

    “We have three category of workers in Kogi. We have 40 per cent that are being paid up to date, we have 25 per cent that had not been paid between eight and sixteen months.

    “We also have another 25 per cent that have not been paid between eight and twenty-one months.

    “In all the sectors, they have categorised the workers into three categories,” he said.

    The president also listed Osun, Ebonyi, Zamfara and Abia among others still owing salaries and non-implementation of the 2011 National Minimum Wage for workers.

    Wabba while speaking on the issue of increase tariff, warned the government against approving another increase in electricity tariff.

    He said that the congress would mobilise its affiliates, social partners and other Nigerians to resist any further increase.

    He noted that Nigerians were yet to get good services for the previous increment which has been declared illegal by the court.

    “The twin issue of fuel price increase and electricity tariff has made nonsense of the minimum wage. We have not been able to justify that 45 per cent increase.

    “But now, they are coming again with another increase. Let me say emphatically that NLC as an Organisation and all our affiliates will resist any attempt to increase the electricity tariff again,”he warned.

    Earlier, Mr Chris Ani, National President of NASU, said the current agitation for restructuring and fiscal federalism were attempts to divert attention from misgovernance and ineptitude the nation has been going through.

    Ani said that Nigerians should not be distracted by elements that have actively participated in the looting and mismanagement of our economy and can be found in the two major political parties.

    “What Nigeria workers need at this point in time is not whether more power should be given to states, but to know how they have managed the power at their disposal at the moment,”he said.

    He, however, urged the government to ensure improved welfare and benefits, jobs security, prompt payment of salaries, among others for workers in the country.

  • NLC names states not utilising bail out fund

    NLC names states not utilising bail out fund

    TEN states have misspent the bail out funds and the Paris Club refund, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) said yesterday.

    The NLC made good its threat to “name and shame” states that refused to pay workers or make public the bailout funds and the Paris Club refund they got.

    The congress also warned the government against approving another increase in electricity tariff, saying it will mobilise its affiliates, social partners and other Nigerians to resist any further increase when Nigerians were yet to get a good service foe the previous increase, which has been declared illegal by the court.

    NLC President Ayuba Wabba, who spoke at the National Executive Council meeting of the Non Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) in Abuja, said six of the 10 states were in a terrible situation, pointing out that the congress had directed all states chapters whose members are owed more than three months salaries to declare an industrial action.

    While reacting to President Muhammadu Buhari’s disappointment with the governors over the utilisation of the funds, Wabba had told The Nation that the congress was compiling a list of governors who failed to spend the funds on workers’ salaries.

    Wabba said: “Out of the 36 states, we have 10 bad case scenario and out of this 10, we have six terrible ones. We have promised to name and shame them. Those states include Imo that has been paying workers salaries in percentage and has not declared utilisation of the bail out fund and Paris Club refund. It is part of the states that ICPC has mentioned in fund diversion.

    “They paid 40 percent pension to their pensioners without their consent and provided a form for them to sign under duress. That is not allowed in law. We have Bayelsa, which has between five to 10 months arrears. Ondo is owing between four and six, Ekiti (five to eight), Benue (five to eight) and Kogi, which is the worst case scenario.

    “We have three categories of workers in Kogi. We have 40 per cent that are being paid up to date, we have 25 per cent that has not been paid between eight and 16 months and another 25 per cent that has not been paid between eight and 21 months. In all, the sectors, they have categorised the workers into three categories.

    “We also have the case of Osun which is also paying in percentage, but is up to date. Ebonyi, unilaterally, without discussion with the union tried to reduce the salaries by certain percentage and have also not made available records of utilisation of the Paris Club refund.

    “We have the case of Zamfara, which is the only state that has not implemented the minimum wage and all attempt (including agreements they have signed) to get them to make available records of utilisation of those funds have failed. The last one is, Abia which has a problem with the parastatals. On the average, other states are above board.

    The NLC chief went on: “As I speak to you, both Zamfara and Benue are on strike and I am aware that Kogi has issued a notice, which is in conformity with the decision we took at our last NEC meeting that any state with liability of more than three months should start an action and we will be there to support them.”

    Speaking on the statement credited to the Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Power that one of the problem in the power sector was low electricity tariff, Wabba said workers will not accept any further increase in tariff.

    He said: “A few days ago, I received a letter from the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission informing us that they want to hold town hall meetings where they want consumers and other stakeholder to contribute. What immediately came to my mind is an attempt again to increase tariff when we have not been able to get out of the one they illegally increased by 45 percent.

    “The twin issue of fuel price increase and electricity tariff has made nonsense of the minimum wage. We have not been able to justify that 45 percent increase, but now, they are coming again. Let me say emphatically that NLC as an organisation and all our affiliates will resist any attempt to increase the electricity tariff again.

    “We have gone to court to challenge their action and the court made pronouncement that the process they followed to effect the last increase was illegal and, therefore, set it aside. Here we are; even to respect that court order has become a problem. We must continue to respect the rule of law. We are still on that issue because no court of law has set aside that judgement.

    “Let us warn those people again because, for them, they must continue to feast on us. If this happens, it means more industries will close and it also means more darkness because the more they increase the tariff, the more darkness we have and more burden on the Nigerian worker. Therefore, we must situate our policies within the context of how it can improve the life of ordinary Nigerian.”

    Speaking on the economic challenge facing the nation, Wabba said: “There is no doubt that our country is passing through very difficult challenges and I think those challenges are to strengthen us, give us hope and make us to think more and be able to respond to issues that affect us. Economies do bubble and burst. Therefore we must not be lamenting that we are in recession or getting out of recession.

    “What matters is how do we put food on the table of the ordinary Nigerian; how do we drive our processes to ensure that industries are working? Once industries don’t work and we don’t produce, but continue to import, the situation will continue because there will always be crave for foreign exchange for us to import and because we don’t export anything, that issue will continue.

    “Our focus must be that our economic model is anchored around the people and around the issues of social justice. Once we don’t do that, then the problem will continue. That is why we have continuously engage the process, including options that are going to work.

    “For instance, the issue of taxation. It is only workers today that pay the correct tax while those that have more than enough, including those with stolen funds, don’t pay tax. Why should you continue to overburden the worker that is already paying the correct tax with more taxation?

    “If I am paying correct tax through pay as you earn, if means that I am paying correct tax and to introduce more tax means double jeopardy. If we are able to access the stamp duty alone, we will be able to generate over two trillion naira per annum. These are issues that we need to address. You cannot continue to rob the poor to make sure that the rich continue to live large.”

    Earlier in his address, NASU National President Comrade Chris Ani said the agitation for restructuring and fiscal federalism were attempts to divert attention from misgovernance and ineptitude the nation has been going through, adding that Nigerians should not be distracted by elements that have actively participated in the looting and mismanagement of our economy and can be found in the two major political parties.

    Ani said what workers needed at this point was time is not whether more power should be given to states, but to know how they have managed the power at their disposal.

    Congratulating the government and its officials for bringing the economy out of recession, Ani said the union will only join the celebration when workers’ “welfare improves; jobs are secured; salaries are paid in full as and when due; wage increase is de-frozen and other withheld benefits are paid”.

  • FG, ASUU embrace ‘collective bargaining’-NLC

    FG, ASUU embrace ‘collective bargaining’-NLC

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Thursday urged the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to embrace collective bargaining, saying there would be no progress in the society without quality education.

    NLC president, Ayuba Wabba, stated this at a conciliation meeting with executive of ASUU, officials of the Ministry of Education and other stakeholders in Abuja.

    “It is a very important issue that ought to drive the process of our development because world over, there is no way progress can be made without quality education. That is the centrality of the issue.

    “All of us are here with much more commitment to see that the issues are resolved and through our process of collective bargaining.

    “It is very cardinal in addressing issues of industrial relations and when agreements are signed. We must find ways and means of implementing them (agreements) and minimising area of industrial activities.

    “The expectation of all of us as Nigerians is that we will put these issues beyond us and drive our process of development forward.

    “So that all of us with open mind and very good will to see how these process can be resolved as it is a process that is time tested. We hope it will produce a win-win result situation for all, ‘’he said.

    The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr.Chris Ngige, said the meeting was convened to address the crisis.

    NAN

  • Minimum Wage: NLC confirms submission of nominees for committee

    Minimum Wage: NLC confirms submission of nominees for committee

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) says it has submitted the names of its nominees for the 29 man-committee for the negotiation of the new National Minimum Wage.

    NLC President Ayuba Wabba disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Abuja.

    It would be recalled that the Federal Executive Council had on May 25 approved the constitution of the National Minimum Wage Committee to kick-start the process of negotiations for new wage for workers.

    According to Ayuba Wabba, “Well the point we are now is that last week we received a letter that organised labour should actually forward the names of their nominees and you know we have eight and that we have done and dispatched.

    “And what we expect now is the formal inauguration of the committee and the unveiling of the Chairperson and then the process should start in earnest with a timeline.

    “That is what we expect but I think we have fulfilled all righteousness by making sure that we are able to submit our team.”

    Wabba said that organised labour was aware of the situation of the workers and pensioners in the country, adding that labour would ensure that workers earn a living wage and pensions.

    Wabba, however, called on all strata of government, including the private sector to be proactive in order for organised labour and workers not to be pushed to the wall.

    “That is the position we are, but I think the fact of the matter is well known due to the issue of inflation and the high cost of living.

    “This is obvious and it is also about respecting our laws and tradition. If it is said that within a circle of five years, the law must be reviewed, certainly we must find a way of doing it right.

    “I think the bottom line is, none of the parties have said that those facts we have laid are not logical and nobody has said that the minimum wage will not be reviewed,’’ Wabba said.

  • NLC tells EFCC not to succumb to intimidation

    NLC tells EFCC not to succumb to intimidation

    The Nigeria Labour Congress(NLC) has called on the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) not to succumb to any threat of intimidation.

    Mr Ayuba Wabba, NLC President said this in statement he signed on Friday in Abuja.

    Wabba condemned the attacked by gunmen on the Area 7 office of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) which houses key investigation units of the Commission.

    According to him, the attack by gunmen on the Area 7 office of the EFCC which houses key investigation units of the Commission is condemnable.

    “The attack represents the audacity of corruption and the shifting of the battle ground from the court room to the streets and should be condemned by all those who love this country.

    “The attack, clearly, was intended to deter and compel operatives of the Commission from carrying to a logical conclusion their ongoing investigations/prosecutions.

    “In light of an earlier attack during which an operative sustained injury, this cannot be a lone incident. Indeed, we see it as the new phase of corruption fighting back!

    “While we are not insensitive to the manifest danger in this new phase of corruption fighting back, we urge the Commission and its operatives not to succumb to these desperate tactics or intimidation.

    “We have no doubt the resort to violence shows they have come to their wit’s end, ‘’he said.

    The NLC president urged the commission and other related agencies to do all that was necessary to secure their premises and personnel.

    Wabba also stressed the need for technical support that would build their forensic capacity without which good cases are lost or drag on indefinitely, thus exposing their personnel.

    “We also find it necessary to call on the government to give the commission the requisite support including the setting up of dedicated courts for speedy disposal of corruption cases,’’ he added.

  • NLC, group urge federal government to halt anarchy in Kogi

    NLC, group urge federal government to halt anarchy in Kogi

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the umbrella body for all socio-cultural groups in Kogi East, the Uk’omu Igala have asked the federal government to take immediate steps to curb the decent to anarchy, intolerance, insensitivity and impunity in Kogi state.

    While the NLC said the government must realize that recent development in Kogi state represent strong threats to the nation’s democracy and should not be condoned, the Igala socio cultural Organisation said the attack on the Kogi state House of Assembly by political thugs was a direct attack on the people of the state and an insult on the country’s democracy which should not be allowed to go unchallenged.

    In a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja, NLC President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba said the Government should not be under the illusion that the developments in the state will simply peter out with time. It will be a criminally negligent assumption, and therefore dangerous.

    Wabba said: “For those who may not have been in the know, last week, the speaker, Honourable Alfa Imam was forced out and a more pliant one installed. The offence of the former Speaker was that he had initiated a legislative process to look into the disbursements of the Paris Club refund following non-payment of salaries and pensions and the industrial tensions in its aftermath.

    “But the former Speaker was lucky to have gotten off “lightly” as the House Member who moved the motion for this process ended up in Plaster of Paris (POP) courtesy of the thugs dispatched to disrupt the House proceedings.

    “The Kogi State mess represents the height of intolerance, insensitivity and impunity, and a precursor to dictatorship and anarchy and should be condemned by all well-meaning Nigerians and apprehended by the Federal Government before the situation spins out of control.

    “Accordingly, we call on the Federal Government to, as a matter of urgency, commence investigations into the disbursements of bail-out funds (50% percent of which it had directed should be applied for payment of salaries, pensions and gratuities); continuous non-payment of salaries and pensions; endless staff audit which has become a convenient alibi for owing salaries and pensions.

    “We also believe that the Federal Government should be concerned that the state-contrived industrial disharmony in the state is slowly, but steadily degenerating into a political crisis as exemplified by the clamp down on ASUU and the State-sponsored violence in the House of Assembly and other acts of witch-hunt in the State’s socio-political space.

    “We need not remind the Federal Government that these represent strong threats to our democracy and should not be condoned. Government should not be under the illusion that the developments in the state will simply peter out with time. It will be a criminally negligent assumption, and therefore dangerous.

    “We at the Nigeria Labour Congress similarly consider ourselves duty-bound to remind the Federal Government that it should not sacrifice the interests of the people of Kogi State on political considerations or convenience. The Kogi State situation has dragged on for too long and the Federal Government cannot continue to look the other way. The time to act is now.

    “We are guided by the dictum that it is better to build strong institutions instead of strong individuals, because whereas strong institutions protect our democracy, strong individuals threaten it.”

    On its part, the Igala socio cultural Organisation said in a statement by its national leader, Major General Patrick Akpa (rtd), that the attack was an “affront on democracy” and an “intimidation of a constitutional arm of government” in Kogi State which should not be allowed to endure if the North-Central State must witness the highly-needed political and economic developments.

    General Akpa said, “The House of Assembly is the political body that represents the over two million people of Kogi State. They are the voices of the ordinary indigenes of the state who voted them to make law and serve as a check on the executive arm of government. This intimidation and assault on members of this constitutional body is a direct attack on all the people of Kogi State, a criminal act that should not go unchallenged.”

    The Uk’omu Igala Organisation urged the Presidency and the National Assembly to wade into the situation because an insult on democracy in any constituent part of the country is a direct insult on the country’s democracy in totality.

    He said, “The Acting President should set up a high-powered panel to investigate the mayhem carried out in the full glare of law enforcement agencies in Kogi State. The allegation that policemen drafted to the House of Assembly complex to forestall the foretold violence stood akimbo while thugs laid siege on the legislature, brutalized Hon Friday Sani Makama, a duly elected lawmaker, and disrupted the activities of the Assembly should not be allowed to go unpunished. 

    “The National Assembly should also investigate the criminal act and take appropriate steps that would prevent the re-occurrence of such intimidating act in future. We call on the lawmakers to realize their role in the administration of Kogi State. They are there to make laws and to check the Executive arm of government. 

    “If they have ignored their own importance, sold their souls for a morsel of bread to other forces in the state, they would have themselves to blame. A situation in which the Assembly has become subservient, and acquiesce to the whim and caprices of other arms of government would embolden their sponsors to violate their rights and powers as lawmakers.

    “We welcome the resignation of controversial Speaker Umar Ahmed Imam after the mayhem and call on the newly-elected Speaker of the House, Hon Matthew Kolawole, to provide a dynamic leadership that would position the Assembly as a truly independent arm of government in Kogi State. If not, this stock of lawmakers would go down in history as those who failed their people in this turbulent dispensation in the political history of the state.”

  • Ngige tells labour to explore opportunities in law for workers’ benefit

    Ngige tells labour to explore opportunities in law for workers’ benefit

    The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, has urged organised labour to explore the social security opportunities in the Employees Compensation Act for the benefit of workers.

    Ngige spoke in Abuja on Thursday when he declared open a two-day retreat for top management staff of agencies under the ministry.

    The retreat is on  “Improving Service Delivery in Agencies of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment’’.

    The law is a social security and welfare scheme that provides comprehensive compensation for workers.

    “We ask you to go a step further. The Employees Compensation Act being implemented by Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NISTF) today is for the benefit of workers and also for their employers.

    “It protects workers from accidents, death and disabilities in the course of work. It makes provision for their families to be protected financially too,’’ Ngige said.

    He added that under the law, ‘’the dependents in the family can be trained up to university level while the widow or widower is given something for sustenance.

    “It is a social protection that must be exploited by labour, NISTF being a tripartite organisation where labour and employers under the Nigeria Employers Consultative Association have representatives on the board. ”

    Ngige said active participation of labour was  required to ensure the fund was not mismanaged.

    He said the retreat was important to enhance the capabilities of the management team of the ministry and its parastatal agencies for effective goal delivery

    The minister said the productivity of any organisation depended on the top management.

    The President of  Nigeria Labour Congress(NLC), Mr Ayuba Wabba,  said the union would partner the Inspectorate  Department of the ministry to ensure the sustenance of minimum standards for factory workers.

    Wabba decried the lack of factory inspectorate officers for effective service delivery to address alleged maltreatment of workers in some private organisations.

    He called for the revival of the department to ensure that it was able to carry out factory inspection.

    The NLC president commended the ministry for organising the retreat and urged the management staff to use the opportunity to gain knowledge and ensure implementation of policies.

    The Country Director, International Labour Organisation (ILO), Mr Dennis Zulu, said the retreat was timely due to emerging challenges in the world.

    Zulu, represented by Dr Rino Onosede, ILO Technical Expert, said that it was imperative for strategic actions to be  taken by managements to ensure good service delivery.

    Mr Kahism Akor, Director General of National Productivity Centre (NPC), commended the ministry for the passion and drive to ensure improved service delivery in the country.

    Akor noted that one of NPC’s goals was to embark on aggressive capacity building of staff for effective and efficient service delivery which had already commenced.

  • 2019 General Elections: NLC urges workers, pensioners to obtain voters’ card

    2019 General Elections: NLC urges workers, pensioners to obtain voters’ card

    As part of preparations for the 2019 general elections, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has urged workers and pensioners in the country who are yet to register to do so and obtain voters card.

    Ayuba Wabba, NLC President said this when he paid a familarisation visit to the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) National Secretariat on Tuesday in Abuja.

    Wabba said this was imperative as governors and other political office holders with anti-labour tendencies were on the increase.

    He said the political elites had the notion that pensioners and workers do not have any political value, adding that it was the reason why the payment of salaries and pensions were not being taken seriously.

    “A lot of politicians say workers and pensioners do not have political value and therefore it is a big challenge, they even claim that we do not have voters card.

    “We are going to embark on a vigorous campaign for workers and pensioners to register and obtain their voters card.

    “Because a process has been opened for workers, pensioners and their families to acquire voters’ card, where it is missing, revalidate it. We have the number.

    “In NLC alone, we are over eight million Nigerians without the pensioners and so, we have the number to challenge any politician and make them realise that we are a force to reckon with.’’

    According to him, let us awaken this consciousness and make sure we do what is right because we also have to engage the process and be able to represent our members.

    “Because the notion also is that we are very comfortable and that we do not have voters card. It is very important for us to engage the system,’’

    He called on the leadership of the NUP to as a matter of urgency issue a circular to pensioners in the 744 Local Government Areas to ensure that they have their voters’ card.

    “Even if a pensioner is on a wheel chair, he must get his card because we must also exercise our value and contribute to the system for our benefits.’’

    The NLC president described as unfortunate and a challenge that workers and pensioners were continually agonised as some states do not pay them their entitlement regularly, adding that it must be stop.

    “The constitution has made it very clear that pension is a right after working diligently for the service of your nation for 35 years and having attained the mandatory age of 60.

    “Retirement ought to be sweet, but in most cases retirement these days is not sweet, you are always on one verification or the other.’’

    Wabba added that NLC’s National Executive Council would meet to deliberate on a campaign strategy that would ensure that all workers, pensioners, their family, and dependents have a voter’s card.

    He also assured the NUP that the problem of minimum wage for workers and pension would be tabled before governments at all levels.

    Responding, Mr Abel Afolayan, NUP President decried the non-payment of the arrears of 33 per cent pension increase since 2010.

    According to Afolayan, civilian pensioners are being owed 18 months arrears, while the police pensioners are owed 39 months.

    “To be frank with you, some pensioners go home monthly with as low as N4,000 only. This is highly unfair and greatly inhuman.

    “We also have issues with some states governments over slash in pension arrears, among other issues and we will want you to assist us,’’ he said.

  • Nigerians no longer happy with NLC – Wike

    Nigerians no longer happy with NLC – Wike

    Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, said on Friday that Nigerians are no longer happy with the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) because of the infiltration of the congress by political forces.

    The governor said the political infiltration has made the NLC ineffective and unable to positively respond on issues that affect less privileged Nigerians.

    Wike, who spoke at the Government House in Port Harcourt, when he granted audience to the president of the NLC, Ayuba Wabba, said the Congress is no longer as strong as it used to be because of division within its ranks.

    He said: “Nigerians are not happy with the NLC. With due respect, you people are now politicians.  You are no longer as strong as you used to be.

    “I remember when Jonathan was President; you wanted to pull heaven down just for the slight removal of petroleum subsidy.  Now they have removed everything and nothing has happened.

    He regretted that the NLC has fallen to the level where it calls for strike and records failure.

    “You have allowed politicians to penetrate your ranks and you now have two factions. Factionalization is not the best. I urge you to work for the union to be strong as this is in the interest of the nation,” the governor said.

    While pledging his support for the NLC, he urged the Congress to stand firm and work for the protection of Nigerians and the country’s democracy.

    “Look at what is happening in the country today and nobody is talking.  Nobody wants to go to jail. If you talk, EFCC will come after you. If you don’t want EFCC to trouble you, defect to the other party. There was this ED Finance of the NDDC, who was a member of the PDP. EFCC was after him, when he defected to the other party, they dropped the charges,” he said.

    He said the country should practice true federalism in all areas including the salary structures of the respective states.

    The governor added: “If the new salary structure is agreed, if Rivers State can pay, can Ebonyi State pay? There should not be a uniformed condition of service.  In Nigeria, you are paid same amount of money in Lagos as in Kogi State. That is why we cannot get it right.”