Some would say the union should concentrate on workers’ welfare alone and let the politicians do their thing.
Whether the union has lived up to the expectations of Nigerians is open to debate but what nobody can take away from the NLC is the fact that without its agitations and sacrifices over the years, the political class would have put the country in a situation that is better imagined than experienced.
In recent memory or since the advent of the incumbent President of the NLC, Comrade Abdulwahed Omar, and incidentally the ascension of President Umaru Musa Yar’adua in February and May, 2007 respectively, the union’s many struggles have led to the reversal of government’s policies assumed to be anti people.
As the country celebrates Workers Day today, many belief that the there is a reason to roll out the drums and celebrate even though the battle for good governance and improved welfare for Nigerian workers is far from over.
A few days to the exit of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, the Kaduna and Port Harcourt refineries were sold in what many observers termed fraudulent. Also, the Obasanjo administration in its last days jerked up the amount charged on Value Added Tax (VAT) to 10% from 5%. The same administration jerked up the price of fuel to N75 from N65.
However, all these actions have been reversed, thanks to a strong and sustained opposition from the NLC which has remained undoubtedly the voice of the people. The union, to this day, has continued to lead the struggle for a better Nigeria.
Not a few Nigerians heaved a sigh of relief over the news of the sack of the head of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Maurice Iwu and the lull in government’s drive to deregulate the downstream oil sector without first “fixing the corruption in the system” as canvassed by NLC, other labour unions and civil society organisations.
In rallies across the country campaigning against government’s desire to deregulate the downstream oil sector, NLC President, Comrade Abdulwahed Omar, has consistently made a case for responsible governance. Against very bitter criticisms and even blackmail from some people in the country, the NLC mobilised and galvanised Nigerians on the mission to stop Prof. Iwu.
Today, the issue of Iwu has been laid to rest and the NLC has started calling for not just a total overhaul of INEC, but that of the electoral process as well, starting with the full implementation of the Justice Mohammed Uwais report on electoral reforms.
Omar had in a communiqué signed at the end of the union’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting which held in Kaduna state a couple of months ago said, “NEC is of the view that he (Iwu) has inflicted enough damage on the electoral integrity of the nation that all patriots must work to have him removed and prevented from presiding over preparations for the next general elections.”
He regretted that if Iwu could not conduct a credible election in just one state (Anambra) with all the resources he had, “urgent action needs to be taken to show that both the executive and the legislature are genuinely working to prevent a repeat of the disaster that was the 2007 general elections and the subsequent by-elections since then.
“In this respect and in the light of the recent failing of INEC during the Anambra governorship election, NEC-in-session, resolved that it is of utmost importance that Maurice Iwu must be removed as the Chief Electoral Officer of the Federation,” he added. Today, Iwu’s tenure in INEC has become history.
Speaking on the need for electoral reforms, the NLC decried the apparent neglect of the process of electoral reform by the National Assembly, “even as the 2011 general elections is fast approaching” and resolved that “urgent action needs to be taken to show that both the executive and the legislature are genuinely working to prevent a repeat of the disaster that was the 2007 general elections and the subsequent by-elections since then.”
In one of its parley with agents of government on the need to deregulate the downstream sector, the NLC gave their conditions for accepting deregulation which include the need to root out the cabal that causes the problems in the sector because government knows the people who make up the cabal.
It also told government to build more refineries and also make laws that will make it easier for private refineries to operate in a way that adds value to the Nigerian economy.
The union also debunked several allegations of collecting money to support deregulation or to look the other way as government proposes “anti people” policies, saying it was the handiwork of mischief makers and that time will tell if it ever compromised the struggle for a better Nigeria.
On one occasion, the General Secretary of the NLC, Comrade John Odah speaking on the allegations said NLC has come a long way in its resistance and that the current leadership of the union would not soil its “hands with blood money, considering the fact that many lives have been lost while the Congress was leading Nigerians in the struggle against deregulation in the past.
“What I will say is that this present leadership of the congress will not compromise in its defence of Nigerians workers as a result of any form of blackmail; we have been steadfast and committed towards ensuring that the price of petroleum does not increase in the past and so we cannot throw that away now,” he said.
He regretted as untrue rumours making the rounds that the NLC has collected money from government, while calling on all Nigerians to be steadfast in the struggle and not allow mischief makers distract the union from the real issues at hand which is “the need for government to tackle the corruption in the system.
“I have been a witness to accusations and counter-accusations in the past that the leadership collected money during various fuel price increases.
“As one of the people driving the system, we were determined not to take any kobo as individuals because of various reasons, some emotional some otherwise. Chima Ubani and some people died in the course of this struggle. We had a resolution on this that what we will do will be in the interest of our members, and in the interest of Nigeria and Nigerians.
“I can say that nobody among the ten members of the Committee on Deregulation collected any kobo. I am able to do this because I was at the centre of those discussions.
“Even if we get destroyed and blackmailed today, a day will come that the truth will come out, that those who do this thing sacrifice all they have to protect the collective interest of Nigeria. You need to believe this, that we did not collect a kobo.”
He explained that if the NLC leadership actually collected money, deregulation would have commenced long time ago, adding, “the people in government know that they have not been able to do it because of the opposition from the NLC.”
In all of these, the union has always said that it is open to negotiations with government on deregulation.
In all the meetings the NLC has held with government on deregulation, members had always insisted that government must address “issues like the cabal which government admits exists in the downstream sector. They must resuscitate the refineries and build new ones as well as provide social amenities.
“Government has been shouting deregulation for decades now but the only thing we have seen is price increase and the same problems that they have used as an excuse to deregulate still persist.
“You should be able to deal with this cabal which you mentioned because you know them and let us move forward from there,” they advised government.
Also speaking at one of the meetings with government, NLC’s President, Comrade Abdulwahed Omar, said the meeting afforded the union the opportunity to educate the government on why it should not go ahead with deregulation.
He said “both sides had the opportunity to say what they wanted. They said their own, you heard them and they mentioned the reason why there should be deregulation.
“Deregulation should not be done bottom up, certain things have to be done to make sure that whatever you call it, whether deregulation or whatever, does not negatively affect the common man especially the working people of Nigeria.”
However, during the tension that gripped the nation when President Umaru Musa Yar’adua was away in Saudi Arabia for treatment and there were debates on whether the then Vice President, Goodluck Jonathan should be made Acting President, the NLC came under heavy criticism for its silence on the issue.
But in defence of its handling of the matter, NLC President said “nobody can stampede the union into taking workers into the streets and be used by those waiting to seize the chaos that may probably ensue.”
He said that street protests on the matter was not the best for the country at that time especially if one looks at the rumours making the rounds of some people trying to use foul means to remain relevant in the system.
So, as both government and the NLC read out their achievements to the Nigerian people today in Abuja and the 36 states of the federation, it won’t be wrong to say that the NLC has tried in the struggle for a better Nigeria.
But the lesson is for all Nigerians to know that the battle for good governance is not something to be left for the union alone but a collective one in whatever way they can contribute.
