Imo NLC blasts PDP, says: ‘You are not spokesman of workers over salaries’

The Imo State Chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) yesterday cautioned the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) against dragging it into partisan politics.

It took exception to a text of a press conference by PDP wherein it listed non-payment of salaries as one of the reasons why it recently asked Governor Hope Uzodinma to resign.

In a joint statement by the organised labour in Imo State, signed by the Ag Chairman of NLC, Comrade Phillip Nwansi, the state chairman of Trade Union Congress (TUC) Comrade Tangban Nkim, and the State Chairman of JPSNC, Comrade Alloy Iwuanyanwu, the labour leaders denied having any salary issues with the State Government.

“Concerning the issue of salaries and pensions, organised labour has engaged the state government meaningfully and most outstanding matters in that regard have been adequately handled with our instrumentality of labour mechanism and approach,” the statement said.

It expressed outrage that the PDP wanted to drag organised labour into its altercation with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), describing the act as unbecoming.

While making it clear that NLC is a non-partisan organisation solely involved in the welfare and interest of workers, the labour frowned at any attempt to involve it in politics.

It averred that it has the capacity to fight its own battles its own way and therefore does not need the assistance of any political party.

According to it, “We take exception to any party acting as spokesman of Imo workers or organised Labour. The organised labour does not need any political party to use labour issues or workers welfare to score political goals or popularity.”

The statement therefore urged political parties to refrain from the attempt of dragging labour into their political squabbles.