Urhobo News

July 14, 2021

Press Statement

Zamfara: Your Legal Opinion Is A Pathetic Hogwash, PDP Slams Kayemo

…Says It Stands By Its Position on Matawalle

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says it stands by its position that the Deputy Governor of Zamfara State, Mahdi Aliyu Gusau, should be accorded the statutory office of the state governor given the decision of Governor Bello Matawalle to vacate his office by decamping to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The party insists that it will not be deterred by series of threats and attacks coming from APC including the unintelligent, hogwash and unsolicited legal opinion expressed by the Minister of State for Labour and Productivity, Festus Keyamo, which lacked sound legal reasoning and queries his credentials as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria.

Keyamo, in his failed effort to fault our reliance on the Supreme Court’s direct interpretation of Section 221 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) in its judgment on Faleke v. INEC, ended up exposing a poor knowledge of the application of the law, by stating that the judgment cannot apply in a case of defection of a governor from the party on which platform he was elected to another, particularly, a party that did not even participate in the election.

We refer Keyamo to the definite pronouncement of the Supreme Court in that case, to the effect that it is the political party that stands for election, that votes scored in election belong to the political party and that the candidate nominated to contest at an election by his party acts only as the “agent” of his party.

The incontrovertible applicative import of that judgment is that the votes upon which Bello Matallawe assumed office as the governor of Zamfara state belong to the PDP and they are not transferable to the APC, which did not sponsor candidates for that election as required by section 221 of the Constitution.

On Keyamo’s claim that, once elected, the governor drops that party ticket and becomes free even to decamp to any other political party, we ask, if that be the case under the law, how come Mukhtar Shehu Idris of the APC, who was already declared as elected governor of Zamfara State, had to lose the position immediately the Supreme Court decided that the votes cast for APC in that election cannot count.

Nigeria runs a party system and the judgement of the Supreme Court had made it clear that a state governor only stands on the pedestal of votes belonging to the political party which sponsored him at the election and that, once the pedestal is removed, as in the case of Mukhtar Shehu Idris in Zamfara, or once the governor jumps off the pedestal, as in the case of Bello Matawalle, he automatically loses statutory understructure to remain a governor.

Perhaps Kayamo needs be reminded that there is no position of independent candidacy in Nigeria which is why it is the logos of political parties and not names of candidates that are imprinted on the ballot papers, if he had ever participated in elections and voted before.

The PDP therefore finds it strange that Keyamo chose to jump on a rough voyage, for whatever reasons, to attempt to dissuade the PDP from testing these issues before the law courts.

In any case, the PDP is not surprised that Keyamo could offer such warped legal opinion picked off the shelves of Jankara market since he admitted that his intervention was borne “out of partisanship”.

It is imperative to advise Festus Keyamo that since he has admitted to partisanship and had even begun to offer legal services to a sinking Bello Matawalle and the APC, he cannot do so as a Minister of the Federal Republic, who earns a living from the taxes paid by Nigerians across party lines.

The PDP therefore demands the immediate resignation of Keyamo as a minister and also advises him to join Matawalle’s legal team in his already lost bid to run away with the mandate of the PDP.

Signed:

Kola Ologbondiyan

National Publicity Secretary

 

 

 

 

PRESIDENT BUHARI MOURNS EDDY DAKORU, SECOND REPUBLIC ASSEMBLY MEMBER

President Muhammadu Buhari extends heartfelt commiserations to the family, friends and associates of Hon. Eddy Dakoru, teacher, businessman and one-time member Rivers State House of Assembly in the second republic, 1979-1983.

Dakoru, who died at the age of 92, was also a former Councillor representing Horsfall ward in the Degema Local Government Council of Rivers State.

The President believes that the very respectable gentleman, who did not allow himself to be overcome by life’s challenges having lost his father at the age of 4, will be fondly remembered for his hardwork and diligence.

The President notes that with determination and perseverance, the former Confidential Secretary in United Africa Company of Nigeria (UAC) in the fifties rose to the position of Human Resources and Industrial Relations Manager in 1975, becoming the first Nigerian to be appointed to a full managerial status at Tate &Lyle Nigeria limited.

President Buhari prays God to grant the soul of the departed eternal rest, and comfort those who mourn.

Femi Adesina

Special Adviser to the President

(Media & Publicity)

July 14, 2021

 

LAGOS STATE GOVERNMENT

OFFICE OF THE CHIEF PRESS SECRETARY TO THE GOVERNOR

PRESS RELEASE

 

SANWO-OLU CONGRATULATES OSOBA AT 82

• Felicitates Babatunde Ogala at 60

 

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has congratulated former Governor of Ogun State, Chief Olusegun Osoba on his 82 years birthday celebration.

 

He also congratulated ex-National Legal Adviser of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mr. Babatunde Ogala (SAN) on his 60th birthday.

 

Governor Sanwo-Olu in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Gboyega Akosile, described Osoba and Ogala who clock 82 and 60 respectively on Thursday, as Democrats and good ambassadors of the ruling party, APC.

 

He commended Aremo Osoba for his commitment to public service, describing the renowned journalist and politician as epitome of honesty, dedication and service, who used his elevated positions for improvement of the people in his spheres of influence.

 

“Chief Olusegun Osoba is a true democrat and member of the progressive camp, who has been playing active roles in party politics and governance in Nigeria. He was one of the performing governors who delivered dividends of democracy to the populace during the days of Social Democratic Party (SDP) and Alliance for Democracy (AD) in South-West.

 

“Aremo Osoba’s selling point is not only in politics but journalism, his chosen profession. He made remarkable contributions to the media industry as a respected journalist and media manager. He used the power of the press to influence positive changes in the country’s social and political landscape as a reporter, editor and managing director in different media organisations,” he said.

 

Governor Sanwo-Olu while congratulating Ogala on his 60th birthday described the former lawmaker as a worthy citizen of Lagos State, who has distinguished himself in the legal profession and legislative business with high level of professionalism and integrity.

 

He also commended Ogala’s selfless service and dedication to the growth and development of Lagos State as a member of the State House of Assembly.

 

“As you celebrate your 60th birthday, I pray that God will increase you in good health to enable you to render more service to humanity,” the governor said.

 

 

SIGNED

GBOYEGA AKOSILE

CHIEF PRESS SECRETARY

JULY 14, 2021

 

 

 

THE COMING OF KANO-KADUNA MODERN RAILWAY AND ITS SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC SIGNIFICANCE

By Garba Shehu,

Senior Special Assistant to the President, Media and Publicity.

Abuja.

President Muhammadu Buhari will on Thursday lay the foundation stone of the Kano-Abuja sector of the Lagos-Kano railway modernization project.

The Lagos-Kano rail project is part of the 25-year vision approved by the Federal Government for the rail transportation in 2002. The contract for it was signed on 30th October, 2002 and assigned to a Chinese Company, China Civil Engineering Construction Company, CCECC.

On October 22,2009 CCECC and the Federal Ministry of Transportation signed a supplementary agreement for the implementation of the Abuja-Kaduna segment, which was completed, commissioned and put to use by the Muhammadu Buhari administration.

On 28th August 2012, the government signed another supplementary agreement for Lagos-Ibadan, the second segment of the corridor for the construction of double track railway of 156.8 kilometers.

In addition to this, the CCECC and the government of Nigeria agreed on December 26, 2016 for the extension of this rail line to Apapa port, adding a distance of 8.57 kilometers.

Given the seriousness attached to the provision of super critical infrastructure projects the Buhari administration dusted off these agreements and commended actual execution.

In June this year, the President was in Lagos to commission this project and officially place it at the service of Nigerians.

In the same vein, the proposed Kano-Ibadan was signed in April 2019, and the segment traverses Oyo, Osun, Kwara , Niger, Abuja, Kaduna and Kano states. This segment, it was agreed, will be implemented in three addendums: Ibadan-Minna, 460 kilometers, Minna-Abuja, 127 kilometers and the now to be commenced, Kano-Kaduna segment covering a distance of 203 kilometers.

This is an important passenger transportation corridor to connect the northern and the southern parts of Nigeria. The kano-Kaduna segment of this project passes through important cities and towns in the north like Kaduna, Jaji, Zaria and Kano, and there is a dense population along the line. This line will undertake passenger exchange in various cities and towns between the capital of Nigeria and the largest city in the North, Kano. Therefore, this project is an important passenger transportation corridor to connect the main cities in the northern Nigeria, and in due course, the major towns down south.

This project is going to form an important part of the West African railway network. The 15 ECOWAS states are committed to a subregional railway network. It is hoped that it will connect to the Niger Republic railway through the Kano-Maradi rail standard gauge rail line which construction the President kick-started a few months ago. This project will be a trunk railway line in Nigeria and also an important part of the West African railway network. Upon completion, this project will promote development in the north and rest of the country, and will create a condition for economic cooperation, material and personnel exchange with the surrounding countries. The completion of this line is therefore significant to Nigeria and the Western African subregion.

As stated above, this project is a trunk line of the national railway of Nigeria, an important part of regional network backbone system, a convenient channel and important passenger transportation corridor for passenger and freight exchange between cities in the country and an important part of the West African railway network.

When completed, this line is expected to meet the demands for the development of national economy, and it will open an efficient and convenient railway channel for import and export of goods in Nigeria and passenger exchange along the line. It will provide an efficient and high-quality traffic means for the sustainable and rapid development of regional and the national economy, strengthen the cooperation and exchange between regions and further drive the development of traditional industry and domestic industrialization process, so as to promote the sustainable development of economy along the whole line and even in the whole nation.

This line connects Kano, the important industrial city in the north of Nigeria and passes through Zaria and connects to the capital Abuja and the coastal city Lagos via the modern railway. At present, there is an existing narrow gauge railway in the channel of Lagos-Kano, but it has a poor line condition and limited transportation capacity. The passenger and freight transportations between the South and the North are mainly undertaken by highway. The economic contact between cities in the North and all other parts of the country is restricted by unwanted conditions, forming a situation of limiting transportation. The south of Nigeria has relatively developed economy and high urbanization rate, while the north is dominated by agriculture and animal husbandry, with a weak economic foundation. This line will strengthen the contact and exchange between the areas with backward economy and the external economic environment, drive the economic development in the backward area and play an extremely important role to make up for the unevenness of economic and social development between regions. Therefore, the construction of this line should hopefully strengthen the economic contact between the north and south of Nigeria and realize the exchange of materials and personnel, and strengthen the coordinative development of regional economy in the north.

Another important aspect of the new railway which the construction starts today is that it meets the demand for the formation of a green transportation channel in Nigeria.There is a relatively fragile ecological environment along the line in this project, and highway transportation does not only have low transportation capacity and high transportation cost, but also high energy consumption and emission of environment-polluting waste gases.

The existing narrow gauge railway has low traveling speed of trains and low transportation capacity, which mars the railway transportation efficiency. With this project, it is expected that the standard gauge railway technology, in comparison with the expressway, will offer with a large-capacity, convenient, land saving, energy saving, environment-friendly, safe and green way of transportation. This should improve the atmospheric quality substantially, improve water quality and reduce pollution greatly along the line.

Lastly, it is to be noted that completed Abuja-Kaduna Railway is only 186km long, which seriously restricts the transportation capacity. The Kaduna-Kano Railway will provide the northward extension of Abuja-Kaduna Railway, and after completion, the length of Abuja-Kano will be 390km, which will greatly improve the transportation efficiency of Abuja-Kano Railway, and meet the demand for medium to long-distance and large-density transportation service.

The Kano-Kaduna Standard Gauge railway will improve mobility in the country as well as ensure seamless movement of passenger and freight trains on the Lagos-Kano rail link.

 

 

PRESIDENT BUHARI REJOICES WITH HON BABATUNDE OGALA AT 60

President Muhammadu Buhari sends warm greetings to Hon. Babatunde Ogala, SAN, former National Legal Adviser of All Progressives Congress (APC), on his 60th birthday, July 15, 2021, joining family and friends to celebrate with the party stalwart, whose knowledge and experience have been most invaluable to the country.

President Buhari felicitates with the Nigerian Bar Association, International Bar Association and professional colleagues of the legal luminary as they roll out drums to savour the milestone with the former lawmaker, administrator and counsel to many organisations and governments.

The President affirms that Hon. Ogala’s admirable profile in his career can only be attributed to his fear of God, love for humanity and passion for showing kindness and thoughtfulness in all endeavours, further evidenced in making sacrifices and working selflessly for the good of others and the country.

President Buhari notes the contributions of the former APC Legal Adviser to the growth of democracy and good governance in the country, most profoundly in interpreting the constitution and manifesto of the party and guiding leaders to keep their promises.

As the notable lawyer and party loyalist turns 60, the President prays for longer life and more wisdom to serve the country.

Femi Adesina

Special Adviser to the President

(Media & Publicity)

July 14, 2021

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LAGOS STATE GOVERNMENT

OFFICE OF THE CHIEF PRESS SECRETARY TO THE GOVERNOR

PRESS RELEASE

 

SANWO-OLU MOURNS LAGOS APC TREASURER, SUMBO AJOSE

 

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has expressed sadness over the death of the Treasurer of Caretaker Committee of the Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Sumbo Ajose.

 

He said the demise of Ajose, who died at 55 in the United States, where she was receiving treatment for an undisclosed ailment on Tuesday July 13, was a big loss to her family, friends, associates and the ruling party.

 

Governor Sanwo-Olu in a statement issued on Wednesday by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Gboyega Akosile, described the late party Treasurer as trustworthy, committed, extremely loyal politician and an invaluable asset to Lagos APC.

 

Sanwo-Olu also expressed his deepest condolences to the immediate family and friends of the departed, Lagos APC caretaker chairman, Hon. Tunde Balogun and the entire members of the party executive over the death of the late Ajose.

 

Sanwo-Olu added that the deceased, who was his personal friend and co-traveller in progressive politica was accountable and rendered selfless service to the party during her tenure as Treasurer without any blemish record.

 

“The death of the Treasurer of our party, Sumbo Ajose, is a painful and big loss to me personally, Lagos APC, the deceased family and friends. I am saddened by the passage of this indefatigable, devoted, loyal and committed democrat and team player who played remarkable roles in the success of our party during her lifetime.

 

“She will be missed by her family, friends and the entire political class, particularly Lagos APC State Executive Committee, chieftains and members of the party across the State,” he said.

 

Governor Sanwo-Olu prayed that God would grant ”the soul of our beloved Sumbo Ajose eternal rest and comfort the immediate and political family of the deceased.”

 

SIGNED

GBOYEGA AKOSILE

CHIEF PRESS SECRETARY

JULY 14, 2021

 

 

 

 

PRESS RELEASE

INSECURITY: SANWO-OLU’S WIFE ADVOCATES COMMUNITY-BASED INCULCATION OF VALUES IN CHILDREN, YOUTHS

…Organizes Seminar For Muslim Women On Successful Home, Nation Building  

 

Lagos State First Lady, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu on Wednesday called for a return to community-based system where the interest and welfare of every child is the responsibility of all parents and guardians, saying inculcation of right values in children and the youth at the community level remains one of the veritable solutions to rising insecurity in the country.

Sanwo-Olu, who spoke at a one-day seminar for Muslim Sisters organized by her office, held at Lagos House, Alausa, Ikeja, said parents must go back to the basis and embrace the system where every mother truly cares about all children in the community.

According to her, “In this era when we have insecurity happening all over the country, we need to go back and check where we got it wrong. The so-called youths out there that are annoyed were given birth to through women. The question arises where did we go wrong? Why is it that they are so annoyed with the system and are now fighting us?

“Not minding that it is taking place in the North today but we have also noticed it coming down to the south. And so, it is so apt at this time that we talk to our women in various organizations especially at this time when peace is paramount relating it to obedience in the house. It is so important that we look back and try to retrace our steps and look at what correction we can give from the home front.”

She recalled how people used to care for all children within the community, saying it was important more than before to go back to the system where what affects one, affects all.

“In those days when we were much younger, every mother is the mother to every child in a community. That was how it used to be. When a child is roaming the street during the time for school hours, the non-biological mother in the community would ask why the child is not in school. But we are not seeing much of that any more partly because when you try to accost some of the children, the mother will say what is your business, and so we withdraw into our shell. We cannot continue like that because when trouble comes, it affects everybody,” she said.

She explained that the seminar, with the theme: “Women, Obedience: Nexus For A Successful Home And Nation Building,” was designed to bring Muslim sisters up to speed with skills and information to contribute their quota to peaceful society and national development, starting from the home front.

In his lecture, the Chief Imam of Lagos, Sheikh Sulaimon Abou-Nola said for women to contribute to national development, they must be well educated, financially independent, be of good character and morally upright, prayerful and know their rights in the society.

There were other lectures on Islamic Perspective On Violence Against Women by Alhaji Abdul Hakeem Kosoko; Islamic Panacea To A Troubled Marriage by Alhaja Omolara Mumuni; Our Children: Our Today And Tomorrow by Alhaja Azeezat Raji; as well as Work Life Balance by a Psychiatrist Doctor from Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Dr. Seun Ogunnubi.

 

SIGNED

OLUBUKONLA NWONAH

ASST DIRECTOR, PUBLIC AFFAIRS

OFFICE OF LAGOS STATE FIRST LADY

JULY 14, 2021

 

 

 

 

LAGOS STATE GOVERNMENT

OFFICE OF THE CHIEF PRESS SECRETARY TO THE GOVERNOR

PRESS RELEASE

 

CONSISTENT TREE PLANTING ESSENTIAL TO REVERSE DEGRADATION OF ENVIRONMENT – SANWO-OLU

• Governor plants a Tree in Ajah, Urges Collective Action to Achieve ‘Greener Lagos’

 

The rapidity of growth in urban population portends grave threat for ecosystems and essential natural assets in Lagos State, but Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu believes that consistent tree planting approach can help minimise the impact on the State if sustained.

 

Sanwo-Olu said the cultural and recreational roles of trees make them essential for healthy living and boost human resilience against natural disasters that negatively affect the environment and economy.

 

The Governor, on Wednesday, planted a tree in Urban Forest Park in Abraham Adesanya area of Eti-Osa, to commemorate the yearly Tree Planting Day in the State. The ceremonial event, with the theme: “Restore and Recover”, was organised by the Lagos State Parks and Gardens Agency (LASPARK), an agency of the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources.

 

Four members of the State’s Executive Council appointed by the Governor simultaneously planted trees in four other locations in Lagos. The same action was replicated by chairmen across the State’s 57 Local Government Areas (LGAs) and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs).

 

Also at the event, the Governor announced the winners of Wood Craft Competition organised in public schools across the State in which pupils used raw woods to create artworks that depict the theme of the event.

 

Sanwo-Olu acknowledged the growing commitment of the people to his administration’s Health and Environment programme, asking residents to further join hands with his Government for the restoration of aesthetic of the environment by adopting the tree planting approach.

 

The Governor stressed the need to arrest further destruction of critical green infrastructure, which may make the State vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, noting that there was need for mutual and sincere actions geared towards the complete recovery of the environment.

 

He said: “By 2030, it is expected that the urban population will double and urban space will increase. As this happens, ecosystems and the essential natural assets they provide will come under threat. As we expand, it is imperative that natural spaces are both protected and incorporated into urban landscapes. Tree planting is a good way to restore local ecosystems and it is gratifying to note that many Lagosians have become enthusiastic about tree planting.

 

“Our mutual and sincere efforts are needed for complete restoration and recovery. The first rule for restoration and recovery is to stop the further destruction of critical green infrastructure. It is cheaper to conserve natural habitats than to restore them later. This tree planting exercise highlights the critical importance of trees in healing the world from the devastating effect of disasters and pandemic.”

 

Sanwo-Olu said his administration placed preservation of the environment at the center of its development agenda, pointing out that a good environment would enhance people’s wellbeing and quality of life.

 

Other critical steps being taken to fully restore the environment, the Governor disclosed, were contained in the recently launched five-year Climate Action Plan by the State Government, which would make Lagos to project impacts, coordinate responses, and achieve resilience under challenging climate conditions till 2025.

 

He appealed to residents, private sector and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) to key into the cause and support the Government’s intervention geared towards preserving the environment.

 

He said: “Our goal is to inspire an urban future where nature is abundant, accessible and co-managed by an active and inspired citizenry. Our desire is to provide green space and environmental education in all communities and create urban biodiversity corridors across the city of Lagos.

 

“As we intensify efforts towards building the sustainable future we all want, we will ensure that we have an environmentally resilient State with the potential to deliver significant financial, environmental, and social returns capable of attracting private investment.”

 

Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tunji Bello, said the Tree Planting Day commemoration had become the largest environmental outreach planned by the Government to stimulate a State-wide awareness and actions towards protecting the environment.

 

Trees, Bello said, are useful in absorbing carbon dioxide – a major Green House Gas – and replenishing the environment with oxygen. He added that trees improved the aesthetic value of the environment and boosts soil nutrients, which prevent erosion, minimise flooding, thereby protecting humans from the adverse effects of climate change.

 

“This event is in line with the theme for the World Environment Day held on June 5. Our long term plan is to green the entire Eti Osa stretch up to Epe. This may take three to five years, but the process has begun. By next year, we would have covered up to the Lagos Business School and then move further until we get to Epe,” the Commissioner said.

 

The high point was the planting of a tree in the park by the Governor, flagging off the exercise across the State.

 

LASPARK General Manager, Adetoun Popoola, said the agency had started working with its partners to establish mini botanical gardens in some public primary and secondary schools to give students opportunities of direct contact with nature.

 

 

SIGNED

GBOYEGA AKOSILE

CHIEF PRESS SECRETARY

JULY 14, 2021

 

 

FOOD UNION IN THE STOMACH OF ITS RIGHTWING LEADERS

TRADE UNIONS MUST BE RESCUED FROM RIGHT-WING TRADE UNION LEADERS

Looking at the activities and the manner the National Union of Food, Beverages and Tobacco Employees (NUFBTE) is run, it is clear the Lateef Oyelekan-led leadership is running a union of pro-management and pro-state as workers’ interests are sacrificed on the altar of profit and self-serving interest. The interest of workers have been commercialized and traded off into the stomach of Lateef Oyelekan and his cohorts.

Trade unions are formed by workers to enable it to resist anti-labour practices of the capitalist class, to protect wages and to defend the democratic rights of workers. In fact, Rule 2 (i) of NUFBTE’s Constitution states one of the core objectives of the union: “To secure the complete unionization of all NUFBTE workers employed in the Food, Beverages and Tobacco Trades, throughout the Federal Republic of Nigeria.” In the area of unionizing all workers, Lateef Oyelekan has failed woefully as we have more workers who are none union members and are placed under precarious working conditions than the ones who are members and whose employment is regularized though under constant attacks.

For instance, in Coca Cola Plc, where Oyelekan is supposedly in employment, the number of casuals and outsourced workers who are barred to join the union has grown from 1500 before he became the union president fourteen years ago to about 5000 at present while regularized workers who belong to the union have collapsed to 1,800. Casualization and precarious work in the food industry has increased from 48% to 80% in the last 15 years- something which is one of the ‘legacies’ of Lateef Oyelekan. Rotten collaboration between rightwing reactionary labour leaders like Oyelekan and company owners have created an army of casualized and contract workers who are denied trade union rights and are subjected to poor pays and poor working conditions. As comrades of the Campaign for Democratic and Workers’ Rights (CDWR) discovered during our interventions at Sumal Foods Ltd at Ibadan, rightwing trade union leaders partnered with the management to set up outsourcing companies that employed Nigerian workers as casuals in violation of Rule 2(i) of its constitution with the aim of making profit- a clear case of union leaders that are supposed to protect workers being the ones conniving with management to enslave workers. Some of these front companies are Dosumu Ltd, Bridge water etc.

If it is bad enough for the Food Union leadership to collaborate with companies owners to casualize workers, it is so bad that the same union leadership collects capitation (illegal union dues) from casual workers in a number of food companies and these funds do not go into the union books/records, it is part of the paddy-paddy ant-labour arrangement with the management. On the one hand, these casual workers are not union members, the union leadership work hard to place them in precarious working conditions and also draw from their poor pay in form of union dues which are never accounted for.

This explains why the rightwing union leaders were miffed when the comrades of the Campaign for Democratic and Workers’ Rights (CDWR) solidarized with Sumal casual workers who embarked on a strike action on October 2, 2018, to protest their casualized status and poor working conditions. As usual, the rightwing NUFBTE leaders quickly aligned with the management and sponsored the police and DSS to arrest Comrade Abiodun Bamigboye (Coordinator of CDWR in Oyo) seven times because he gave solidarity to suffering Sumal workers. The management and the union have instigated and instituted two criminal cases at the magistrate court and 2 civil cases at the National Industrial Court (NIC) based on unfounded, frivolous and trumped-up charges and claims, a clear case of how the bourgeois rule of law is for the highest bidder. So brazen and shameless is the rightwing NUFBTE leaders that unionism has been converted to an organized business cartel.

The food union is so juicy and profitable, after all, the union attracts huge amount of money running to tens of millions of naira on monthly basis and Oyelekan finds every motivation to extend his tenure and that of his rightwing cohorts by two years in violation of NUFBTE’s constitution.  Rule 6 (iii) of the union’s constitution states that National Delegate Conference shall be held every four years in the month of November with a caveat that the holding of the Conference shall not be delayed for more than three months and there are laid down procedures for the convocation of a conference. In desperation, Lateef Oyelekan led his yes-men NEC members on February 4, 2020, to agree to convoke an Emergency Delegate Conference with the sole aim of extending the tenure of the current leadership by two years without adhering to laid down procedure for which a Conference can be convoked. The cat was let off the bag recently when Lateef Oyelekan told the world that the tenure elongation was to allow the leadership to complete the building of the union’s hotel, what an outlandish, ridiculous and silly reason to hold on to leadership. This can be likened to a sitting president extending his or her tenure because of a bridge that is under construction. At least Oyelekan has beaten an average Nigerian bourgeois politician to shenanigan. Despite the fact that some union members under the platform of Redemption Group went to court to challenge the infraction of the constitution and got an injunction on August 19, 2020, Lateef Oyelekan went ahead with the conference held in the night on August 21, 2020, in violation of not just the union constitution but also in violation of the court ruling/order. It was alleged that NLC President Ayuba Wabba graced this illegal conference in ‘solidarity’.

Just like an average self-serving bourgeois politician, Lateef Oyelekan is a labour aristocrat whose living condition is far and above an average worker and disconnected from workers. Lateef Oyelekan goes around with police escorts which have become a stock-in-trade of some rightwing trade union leaders. In December 21, 2018, Oyelekan ordered his police escort to shoot at workers who protested to the union national secretariat to demand that the union leadership should stop backing management against workers and end intimidation of the branch leadership in A&P Foods Ltd in Lagos.

In 2010, the union leadership abandoned workers when the management of Dangote Pasta attacked workers and disbanded the branch a few days after its inauguration and when CDWR intervened, Lateef Oyelekan and other key leaders at the national secretariat responded that the union could not intervene because “Dangote is too powerful.” In 2009, Lateef Oyelekan backed the management of A&P Foods to convert 1600 casuals who were agitating to be regularized to contract (outsourced) workers and some workers alleged that some of the rightwing labour leaders at the national secretariat have interest in the outsourced company that was run by the then Human Resources Manager, Mr Victor Badaiki in proxy. In October 2016 when workers of BUA Sugar Refinery embarked on a strike, NUFBTE union leaders arrived at record time and called on workers to end the strike, this is a company wherein workers are not unionized despite efforts and pressure to get the workers unionized but union leaders refused to unionize workers. These are just a few examples from a plethora of cases and experiences of betrayal of Oyelekan’s leadership. It is often the case that top union leaders from the NUFBTE national secretariat visit management of food companies behind workers to collect products as part of their stomach infrastructure.

If democracy has been undermined in the larger society, it should have been preserved in the trade union movement, but this is to the contrary. In fact, most of the trade unions and NUFBTE inclusive have been converted to a monarchy with flagrant disregard to democratic rights of its members including suppression of their rights. In NUFBTE, if you express a contrary opinion different from the leadership, it is either you are expelled from the union or the management is pressured to sack you. The General Secretary of NUFBTE, Bamidele Busari is not spared and has been sacked illegally and brazenly. All union (NUFBTE) members who belong to Redemption Group have been expelled from the union while managements are being pressured to sack them.  As a matter of fact, the union leadership has succeeded in instigating a fake redundancy exercises in Seven-Up and Nigerian Breweries that have led to the sacking of 300 and 250 workers respectively targeting mostly workers who are opposed to Oyelekan’s leadership and assisting the companies to sack regularized workers and likely to be replaced with workers on far worse condition of service, a policy that will bolster the profit for the company owners and weaken the union.

The reality is that the degeneration of unionism in Nigeria goes beyond Oyelekan, Ayuba Wabba etc., it is a systematic takeover of the unions by right wing labour leaders in the last 3 decades and condemned it to platform that incongruously serves the interest of the class enemies (capitalists). Only a few unions like the Academic Staff Union of the University (ASUU) is different and resist government policies by carrying workers and branches along including when strikes are to be called off.

The solidarity amongst workers to fight back has been thrown into the dustbin, the resistance of management and the capitalist state’s indecent labour practices have taken flight, rightwing union leaders have surrendered the union to employers of labour, autocracy has replaced democracy, rightwing labour leaders have become demigod, this is the long and short of what unionism has become. The rightwing leaders have become mercenaries to the bourgeois state and employers of labour while workers continue to bear the brunt.

Only workers can rescue the trade union from this rightwing, reactionary, anti-workers, aristocratic leaders and bring about independent, democratic and fighting trade unionism positioned to defend the interest of workers and the working people. This can only happen through sustained campaigns and struggle. Genuine trade union activists, socialists and pro-labour activists should hold a conference to initiate such campaigns and struggle.

If the leadership and members of the Redemption Group in the food union and any such opposition groups in the trade union movement must show the difference, their opposition to Oyelekan and other rotten leaders should be ideological and with the sole agenda to rescue the unions and transform them into fighting trade unions that resist exploitation and anti-labour policies and are run democratically. If this agenda is not pursued, we may only see a replacement of labour bureaucrats by another or accommodation of all bureaucrats.

 

Comrade Chinedu Bosah

CDWR National Publicity Secretary

08098284000