The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Sunday warned Northern state governors to distance themselves from taking steps similar to the perceived massive sack of teachers by Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna state.
El-Rufai as a guest lecturer at the 4th Distinguished Guest Lecture of the University of Medical Sciences, Ondo, said the recent mass sack of teachers in Kaduna will also be carried out in other northern states after the 2019 elections.
Reacting to the statement, the president of NLC, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, warned that any governor that imitates such policy would lose the support of workers in 2019 general elections.
The statement reads in part: “It has been brought to our attention, statements credited to the governor of Kaduna state, Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, over plans by other northern governors to imitate his ruinous path of sacking teachers in their state employment. These reckless statements were reported by a number of national dailies particularly the Daily Post of Friday, 18th May, 2018.
“There is really no doubt that Nasir El-Rufai mistakes notoriety for popularity. The two are millennia apart. Unfortunately, the governor of Kaduna state has decided not only to continue in his favourite past time of inflicting pains and sorrows wherever he goes, he is also bent on marketing such profound proclivity for mischief to his fellow governors.
“We need to remind Governor El-Rufai that there is a limit that man can play God. By announcing that other northern state governors will replicate his callous and insensitive retrenchment of teachers and other cadres of workers in Kaduna state post-2019 election, El-Rufai has already declared his own election and those of the governors he is purportedly speaking for a fait accompli.
“Organized Labour wishes to remind El-Rufai that he is not God, after all. He and other northern governors possess a voter card each. Citizens at the receiving end of their unpopular and de-humanizing policies are in the majority. In 2019, we will ensure that the votes of the oppressed and victimised count all over Nigeria.
“While Nigerians continue to watch the open desecration of the rule of law, human rights, constitutionally guaranteed freedom and collective/individual dignity in Kaduna state, we urge other northern governors especially those in the same political party as Governor El-Rufai not to be deceived into copying the failed policies of Governor El-Rufai. The truth is that the logjam that has trailed El-Rufai’s phony reform of the education sector in Kaduna state has overshadowed the public outcry that greeted his unjust sack of teachers and other cadres of workers.
“This is the time for all the northern governors to put a disclaimer on Governor El-Rufai before they are counted with him as frontline enemies of the Nigerian people. We also urge President Muhammadu Buhari to call El-Rufai to order.
” A stitch in time might still save nine. It might be helpful to remind El-Rufai and his co-travellers that workers’ retrenchment does not only violate workers’ fundamental rights, it also runs afoul of Nigeria’s labour laws, international conventions and best industrial relations practice.
“The People’s voice will remain the voice of God. Nigerian workers are ready to speak when the time comes. A word is enough for the wise.”
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