Guardian Labour may break political neutrality in 2015 FRIDAY, 28 JUNE 2013 00:00 FROM COLLINS OLAYINKA, ABUJA FEATURES- POLICY & POLITICS • As Oshiomhole primes Esele as successor THERE are indications that the Nigerian labour movement may break its neutrality in political issues in favour of partisanship. This comes as the governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, has begun moves to position the out-going President of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Mr. Peter Esele, to succeed him in the 2016 gubernatorial election in the state. The Guardian gathered at the recent International Labour Conference in Geneva, Switzerland, that there was some high-wired politicking among labour leaders, business moguls and politicians, including members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo, who are sympathetic to Oshiomhole, on how to mobilise for Esele towards realisation of the ambition. Actually, Governor Oshiomhole corroborated this finding while speaking at the 9th Triennial National Delegates’ Conference of the TUC. He declared that the labour movement must jettison its age-long neutrality in politics for active participation. Citing the revolution in Brazil engendered by former President Da Silva Lula, which resulted in prosperity for all, Oshiomhole said Lula was a worker who mobilised the Brazilians into voting the Workers Party into power. He said: “Former president of Brazil, Lula, did not become president by carrying placard but by organising the workers and refused to sermonise to a ruling class that was deaf. “Lula knew that those in power could not be persuaded to govern according to the aspirations of the working people. The Nigerian workers must be taught the values of struggles and then provide leadership for that struggle.” He then addressed Esele directly thus: “Peter Esele must tell us how he intends to mobilise Nigerian workers into participating in the political struggle that will emancipate the workers from the strangulating economic policies of the ruling class.” Oshiomhole, who said he detests being called a politician, added another vocabulary to the political lexicon of the country, declaring himself as an “activist-in-governance” While saying, “we must ask Lula what did he do to mobilise Brazilian workers to become partisan,” he asked rhetorically: “How can labour movement be neutral in matters that shape their lives and that of their unborn children?” He warned that the labour movement must realise that the days were gone when labour celebrated their non-partisan, stressing, “the national economy is shaped by partisan contestations.” The governor submitted that labour must begin to mobilise for 2015 now because the change they desire would not come by agonising. His words: “As we approach 2015, we all want change but that change won’t come with carrying of slogans; change will only come through activism. “Our time is almost up. Labour movement must stop sermonising to all politicians not to misbehave; it must tell those misbehaving to stop misbehaving. I am convinced that until there is a balance of madness, we will never regain our sanity.” He also wanted labour to mobilise against political arbitrariness, as exhibited in the Nigerian Governors’ Forum election. Oshiomhole revealed the happenstances at the election thus: “Thirty-five men voted at the Governors’ Forum out of 36 with one absent. In the end, the votes were counted and 19 voted for Amechi while Jang got 16 votes. “But the very people who voted started shouting they wanted to stage a walkout. Unfortunately, people who call themselves Christians and Muslims, who are also Executive Governors, were demonstrating executive irresponsibility. “So, when the facts are so clear, labour cannot be neutral. Labour must tell the truth to Jang to stop ‘jagging-jagging’. The matter is not about the Governors’ Forum but about democracy.” He wondered why papers that were signed in April for an election that was to be held in May were valid and not the election properly contested in May? “How can the result of an election that was contested in May be determined in April and both NLC and TUC are watching?” he said. The Edo governor said the hullabaloos that continue to surround the Governors’ Forum election portend danger for the 2015 elections. “If we can dispute whether 16 is a majority or 19 in a small election, are we convinced that the 2015 general elections would be free and fair? Do we really need to get there before the labour movement sees it that we are heading for the rocks? The fight is now,” he said. While restating his call for a re-vision of Nigeria’s industrial policies and adopt ones that emphasise production, Oshiomhole posited that laws must be made to work effortlessly. “The labour movement must champion the crusade of returning the country to producing economy,” he said. “We must make the refineries work and even build new ones. “Labour has resolved that government stops fuel importation but if they don’t, what do we do tomorrow? Where will our young engineers work when we are exporting jobs and importing unemployment? Economy is not about statistics but the human person.” The Guardian gathered that Governor Oshiomhole has started mobilising labour leaders to embrace the new thinking of political partisanship. He is convinced that the Esele did well for the TUC by bringing the labour centre to limelight and that he could replicate the success in Edo State. The advantage that may swing the contest in Esele’s favour is the fact that he comes from the Esan South-East of Edo Central, which had produced a governor (Prof. Oserheimen Osunbor) that ruled for barely a year and half since the state’s creation on August 27, 1991 along side Delta State, both from Bendel State. Governor Oshiomhole from Edo North will be completing two terms of eight years in 2016, while Edo South has produced two governors, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun (1991-1993) and Chief Lucky Igbinedion (1999-2007). Cumulatively, Edo South has occupied the Government House in Benin City for 10 years; Edo North for about five years now, and eight years in 2016; while Edo Central has occupied power in the state for about one and half years. In his speech, Peter Esele, who is leaving the presidency of the TUC, expressed worries that Nigeria is fast losing battle against corruption. He blamed the non-functionality of social infrastructure on endemic level corruption has attained in the land. He said: “Corruption has ruin major sectors of the economy and now threatening to kill our government. “More appalling is that instead of imprisoning those perpetrating these ugly acts, our people celebrate them, give them titles and wear Aso Ebi on their day of court cases. “It is unfortunate that the anti-corruption agencies and government at all levels have been overwhelmed by the (corruption) monster.” Esele urged the people to hold leaders at various levels accountable for their words and actions while in office. According to him: “2015 is around the corner; Comrades, tell your wives, children, cousins, nephews, nieces, etc., not to sell their consciences for a morsel of bread. That is the only way we can have a country of our dreams
Posted on: Fri, 28 Jun 2013 08:47:10 +0000
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