The federal government yesterday secured an order of the? National Industrial Court sitting in Abuja, restraining the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) from embarking or compelling workers to embark on strike action on Monday.
The NLC and the TUC were listed as co-defendants in an ex-parte application brought before the Industrial Court by the minister of justice and attorney-general of the federation, Mohammed Adoke (SAN), asking it to stop both unions from going on with the strike action.
The panel of three justices comprising the president of the court, and justices Babatunde Adejumo, B. Kanyip and M.N.Esowe granted an order restraining the defendants from embarking or inciting the general public to embark on general strikes, street protests,mass rallies or any other action that would be inimical to the economic affairs of the Federal Republic of Nigeria pending the determination of the Motion on Notice.
The court therefore adjourned till January 12 for hearing of the motion on Notice.
The court also granted an order of substituted service of the process on the defendants.
The claimant had through their counsel,Fabian Ajogwu (SAN), prayed the court for an order restraining the defendants from embarking or compelling other persons to embark on a strike action or general strikes,mass rallies and street protest across Nigeria pending the determination of the Motion on Notice.
Also,the claimant prayed for an order restraining the defendants from interfering in any way with the executive implementation of the 2012 Appropriation Act and other connected duties of the executive arm of the Federal Government of Nigeria in the management of the economic affairs of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
In a 30, paragraph affidavit of urgency deposed to by one Yusuf Mok,a counsel in the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, averred that the removal of subsidy is not a dispute of right of the defendants or their members, adding that the defendants did not also raise any dispute arising from a collective and fundamental breach of contract employment on their part.
In a swift reaction, the Nigeria Labour Congress yesterday urged Nigerians to ignore what it called the ‘black market injunction’ procured by the federal government as it has no knowledge of such.
In a press statement issued in Abuja yesterday evening and made available to leadership weekend, NLC said that “there are rumours circulating that the desperate Jonathan administration has purchased a black market injunction possibly from the National Industrial Court (NIC)’’.
The press release which was signed by the acting general secretary of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Owei Lekamfa, insisted that it is not aware of any such injunction, explaining that it was not served any paper of court appearance. ‘’ We were not present in court nor were we represented in any capacity.
“Also, the NLC was not served any court summons nor were we served any court order’’ it said.
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives will reconvene tomorrow from its Christmas recess to take a definite stand on the removal of fuel subsidy by President Goodluck Jonathan, in a special emergency session.
Briefing National Assembly correspondents yesterday, the chief whip of the House, Isiaka Mohammed Bawa, and the minority whip, Samson Osagie, on behalf of the leadership of the House said the emergency plenary session was to address certain volatile issues in the country.
To this end, “the House has recalled all members of the House from wherever they may be, to converge at the National Assembly on Sunday 8th of January at 3 p.m.”
The lawmaker added that they would debate? the removal of the subsidy which the House had consistently kicked against and other national issues which have heated the polity.
They noted that they were reconvening in accordance with the House Rules in Order 5 (18) Sub rule 2.
In the same vein, the Senate yesterday warned of great? consequences of a total socio-economic paralysis of Nigeria if organised labour carries the threat of embarking on general strike and national protest.
Senate spokesman Enyinnaya Abaribe in a statement in Abuja urged caution on both labour; Nigeria Labour and the Federal government in the handling of the subsidy matter.
Abaribe said, “The Senate appeals to organized labour to exhaustively explore the options of further dialogue with the government in the interest of the country.”
However, the Senate, he added, would want government to engage in a meaningful dialogue with all stakeholders that will lead to an acceptable consensus.
“Nigeria cannot afford a total shutdown of the country, especially in the face of the deteriorating security situation.
Meanwhile, the federal government may have perfected plans to frustrate the strike action by smuggling the controversial Public Order Act through the back door.
Addressing journalists yesterday at the Force Headquarters after a joint meeting of the chief of defence staff (CDS), the service chiefs, and the director general of the State Security Service (SSS), the Inspector-general of Police (IGP), Hafiz Ringim , said any group intending to protest must liaise with command commissioners of police in their various places.
He said the protesters are to register with the commissioners to determine the day, time and route of the protest, adding that security agencies would respect the rights of those who protest within the ambit of the law.
The IGP disclosed that the meeting was to review the threats at hand and appreciate those that can possibly develop as a result of the intending strike and to review the modalities so far put in place so that the strike will remain peaceful.
He assured Nigerians of adequate security of lives and property during the planned strike action, pointing out that “it is the right of citizens to engage in peaceful demonstration to seek to influence government policy within the purview of the laws in any democratic dispensation.”
According to him, “Those that want to protest will be well secured, guarded and protected by the police in all nooks and corners of this country.”
Meanwhile, former Senate president, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, has accused President Goodluck Jonathan of stoking unnecessary crisis in the country by unilaterally hiking the pump price of petrol beyond the reach of most Nigerians.
Ayu, who spoke in an exclusive interview with leadership weekend, said that the president had, by his insensitive action, declared war on defenceless Nigerians who voted him into power last April.
Ayu said, “The removal of subsidy is definitely going to create more problems and poverty in the land. This government is actually toying with a time bomb that may explode in their face.
“By increasing fuel prices you are visiting hardship on ordinary Nigerians including the security agents who also buy from the same market with the ordinary Nigerians.
“A security man who is unable to meet his daily needs will not give the best to the country. In fact, the government is undermining its own security by increasing fuel prices.”
He said he was disappointed that a government that was elected barely seven months ago to alleviate the suffering of Nigerians had chosen the unpatriotic route of visiting hardship on the Nigerian people who are already suffering from economic problems.
“It is a government that is unpatriotic and has no interest of the ordinary Nigerians at heart; it is a government that is taking dictation from outside, specifically from the IMF and the World Bank; and whose instructions are being executed in Nigeria by their representative, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala,? the coordinating minister for the economy.
“During her first outing as finance minister, she took $12 billion of our scarce resources and handed over to them in the name of paying debts,” Ayu said.
On the setting up of the Christopher Kolade board to manage the proceeds of the subsidy, Ayu pointed out that the board would not achieve anything since it could not take over the functions of government agencies that have failed to perform.
He said that the board was nothing more than a ploy to gain Nigerians’ support for the unpopular fuel subsidy removal, arguing that it would not yield any dividends for the ordinary Nigerian.
On the attacks of churches by Boko Haram, the politician called for restraint, saying that the trend if unchecked could lead to a religious war that the nation might not be able to handle.
He pleaded with those behind the attacks to learn from the history of countries that were involved in sectarian wars and how they could not easily recover from such mayhem.
Meanwhile, in a bid to ward off the looming strike, President Goodluck Jonathan met with the governors at the presidential villa for several hours.
As at the time of going to the press, the meeting was still in progress.
It was also gathered that the president who was billed to travel to South Africa had to shelve? the plan because of the face-off with labour.