The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has threatened to embark on an indefinite nationwide strike at midnight should anything happens its president, Comrade Joe Ajaero.
NLC deputy president, Ado Kabiru Sani made this known through a communique issued shortly after the national executive council (NEC) meeting held on Tuesday.
The NEC meeting was summoned to discuss the invitation of Ajaero by the police amid allegations bordering on “terrorism financing”.
NLC’s NEC agreed that Ajaero should honour the police invitation and told the country’s workers to be on standby for further directives if the police take it further.
“As a responsible labour centre committed to the rule of law and due process, the NLC shall honour the invitation extended to its President by the Nigeria Police but will demand for extension of time given the nature of the invitation,” the communique reads.
“However, we wish to state unequivocally that this does not in any way legitimise the baseless allegations levelled against him.
“The NEC directs all affiliates and state councils to immediately commence the process of mobilising their members across the nation.
“The Congress will not hesitate to take all necessary actions, including mass protests and industrial actions, to protect the integrity and independence of the labour movement.
“If anything happens to the President of the Congress or any other leader of the Congress in furtherance of these tendentious allegations by the State, NEC puts all its affiliates and state councils to proceed on indefinite nationwide strike action by 12:00 midnight today.
“The NEC calls on all civil society allies and the general populace to stand in solidarity with the Nigeria Labour Congress in this critical moment.
“The fight against injustice and oppression is a collective one, and we urge all Nigerians to rise in defence of our shared democratic values.”
As at the time of this report, Joe Ajaero has honoured police invitation.