When the history of the national strike, street protests and rallies that followed the removal of fuel subsidy by the federal government on January 1, 2012, will be written, the name of Governor Sullivan Chime of Enugu State will feature prominently.
Though his administration has since 2007, when he took office been largely described as success story, given the massive road rehabilitation and construction works going on in Enugu, the state capital and its environs, the governor may end up wearing the toga of anti-labour.
First, Osmond Ugwu, a labour activist in the state, is languishing in Enugu prison, following an alleged brush in Enugu with a police officer. Ugwu, who led the agitation for the full implementation of the new national minimum wage law in the state, was alleged to have ‘assaulted’ a police officer, who came to the secretariat of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), located at the New Market area of the city, alongside his colleagues, to disperse striking workers who were reportedly holding a prayer session.
Ugwu was subsequently charged before a Chief Magistrate Court on a three–court -charge, which includes attempted murder.? He was later remanded in prison custody, and was still there when the NLC, and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), declared a strike action, Monday, January 9, 2012, to protest the federal government removal of fuel subsidy. And few hours to the commencement of the strike, Governor Chime rolled out a proclamation banning public assemblies, meetings and procession, saying he took the action to avoid breakdown of law and order.
According to the governor:? “I Sullivan Iheanacho Chime, Governor of Enugu state of Nigeria, being of the opinion that the holding of any public assemblies, meetings or public procession in any part of Enugu state of Nigeria, would lead to the breakdown of law and order.
“And that it is therefore expedient to prohibit the holding of any public assemblies, meeting or public procession, accordingly, in the exercises of the powers conferred on me by law and all other powers enabling me in that behalf,
hereby issue the following proclamation.? “The holding of any public assemblies, meetings or public procession in Enugu state of Nigeria, is hereby prohibited until further notice…”
He thus made history by becoming the first governor in the country to make such a proclamation during the strike.? And even President Goodluck Jonathan, who was, as it were, on the hot seat, never issued such an order restraining workers and Nigerians from embarking on street protests to demonstrate against the removal of fuel subsidy. This may likely be akin to the proverbial case of one crying more than the bereaved.
Nevertheless, not a few thought the governor was merely joking.? But they were mistaken.? A day after the commencement of the strike, Mr. Festus Ozoeze, a labour leader and staff of the state water corporation, was arrested by the police, tried and sentenced by a tribunal set up by the Enugu State government.
He was alleged to have attempted breaching public peace in the state, by inciting workers to join the strike and street protests. Barrister Olu Omotayo, the Zonal Director, Civil Liberties Organisation, South East Zone, told LEADERSHIP that the action of the governor was unconstitutional.
He said:? “Our position is that the action is unconstitutional … See the case of ANPP vs IGP, where the court of appeal,? held that by? section 40 of the constitution , citizens can protest or hold peaceful procession, without the requirement of police permit.
? “In ozoeze’s case, he was arrested while sharing water bill, and was later arraigned for telling workers not to work before an illegal mobile court, that sat at police headquarters.
“No law of the Enugu State House of Assembly established such mobile court, to try protesters”.
Osita? Okechukwu, the national publicity secretary, Conference of Nigerian Political Parties, Enugu state chapter, condemned the action of the state chief executive, adding that “this is a manifestation of the dictatorship we have in Enugu State”.
However, the governor told a conference of some Catholic priests in the state that the action he took during the period of the strike, was in the public interest.