South East breaking News
The organised labour in Osun State has called for a peaceful, free and fair governorship election, urging security agencies to protect residents and ensure that workers and pensioners are not intimidated during the electoral process.
The state Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Christopher Arapasopo, made the call during a mini congress of organised labour comprising workers and pensioners in Osogbo on Monday.
Arapasopo said the gathering was convened to brief the public on developments in the state and express the concerns of workers and pensioners ahead of the August 15 governorship election.
He expressed concern over reports of political thuggery and alleged shootings in parts of the state, urging the police to intensify efforts to protect lives and property and maintain neutrality in the electoral process.
He warned political parties against harassing or intimidating workers, pensioners and other citizens because of their political choices.
According to him, “This is just a mini congress of organised labour in Osun State for workers and pensioners. We are here to inform the general public about happenings in Osun and how we feel about it. Somewhere in the news that thugs are going up and down shooting and the Police who are expected to do their jobs in protecting the properties of the people of Osun State are not doing it.
“By the special grace of God on Saturday, 15th of this month, workers, pensioners and people of Osun State would perform their constitutional civic rights by voting for candidates.
“We are to send a signal and warning to any party that tries to intimidate or harass workers, pensioners and good people of Osun State. And again on the issue of EFCC that banned the government account, there is need for us to inform the public of what really transpired.”
Arapasopo, while addressing the controversy surrounding the payment of palliatives to workers and pensioners by the state government, said the initiative was not designed as a vote-buying scheme.
He explained that organised labour had, on April 8, written to Governor Ademola Adeleke requesting palliatives for workers and pensioners to cushion the impact of the economic hardship in the country.
He said labour initially requested N20,000 for each worker and pensioner but later reached an agreement with the governor, following discussions in July, for N10,000 each due to the financial constraints facing the state.
Arapasopo said labour accepted the arrangement and had requested that payments covering June and July be made.
He criticised the interpretation of the payment by the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) as an attempt by the government to buy votes, maintaining that the demand for palliatives originated from organised labour.
He appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene by urging political actors in the state to allow the election to be conducted peacefully.
“We are appealing that this election should be free and fair. We are appealing to the international community to switch on their searchlight on Osun State,” he said.
He also urged the police to remain professional and protect all citizens without taking sides.
“No worker must be intimidated, no harassment of anybody and not to talk of any citizen of Osun State,” Arapasopo said.
Also speaking, the State Chairman of the Joint Negotiation Council (JNC), Comrade Olamilekan Adediran, urged civil servants, pensioners and other residents to participate actively in the election by voting for candidates of their choice.
Adediran said workers and pensioners had witnessed different administrations in the state and were capable of determining what was best for them.
He urged eligible voters to go to their polling units with their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and exercise their franchise peacefully.
“We are all stakeholders. All the civil servants and pensioners of Osun have been in this system for a long time. We have been with several governors with different experiences,” he said.
Adediran also cautioned against political violence, saying the pursuit of political power should not lead to the destruction of lives, properties or state institutions.
He appealed to the President to encourage political actors in Osun to allow the election to be conducted without intimidation or coercion.
“Getting to the position of power is not a do-or-die affair. We know what we want and what is suitable for our people here. We appeal to the President to help us talk to these people,” he said.