Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President, Ayuba Wabba
ASUU Strike: Lai Mohammed you can’t stop us from exercising our fundamental right –NLC
… says our right to protest is lawful
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has taken a swipe by the Minister of Information and Culture , Lai Mohammed, suggesting that a proposed NLC protest in solidarity with ASUU is illegal.
The labour union said that it is well within its rights to protest against the continued stay of students at home, following failure of the authorities to reach an agreement with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
Recall that Mohammed had said that NLC is not a political party and it is not in dispute with the government.
“I think we should also start to interrogate what labour is doing. The NLC is not a political party. The NLC can go on strike or protest if the rights of NLC members are involved. What the NLC is planning in the next two days is about interest.
“There’s no dispute whatsoever between NLC as a body with the federal government. Well yes, that’s a dispute between some members of NLC, ASUU whatever and the federal government which is being looked into. And NLC itself it’s a party to the committee that is looking into the solution. So calling out people on street protests you begin to wonder, what is the motive of NLC in this matter? But you see here, we do not interrogate what NLC is doing. NLC by its own laws cannot even give out pamphlets.
“And NLC is supposed to be completely insulated from politics. Now, if you declare a dispute with us, yes you can go on strike. Even that one would depend on whether certain steps have been taken or not. But this particular NLC, you know, asking and mobilizing people to come out on strike on July 26 and 27, is clearly nothing.”
Reacting to this, NLC President, Ayuba Wabba in a statement on Wednesday, said “it is elementary knowledge, that the right to peaceful assembly and protest is fundamental global right guaranteed by the UN charter on Human and Peoples’s right and the constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria”.
Reacting further, Wabba said the proposed march is not a solidarity protest, adding that the NLC is directly involved in the current dispute in the nation’s university system.
“All the four trade unions involved are affiliates of NLC. Secondly as citizens , our children have been out of school for 5 months, majority are children of working class and the less privileged, this alone should call for urgent action,” Wabba explained.
He emphasized that all peaceful assembly are lawful and does not require any permission under the law.
According to him, in a democratic society such statement as was uttered by the minister is not consistent with the rule of law.
