The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) in Imo state has accused the state government of using armed thugs and Nigerian police officers to interfere with the conduct of its state elections.
The NLC chairman Joe Ajaero, who issued a statement on Tuesday, also declared the group’s indefinite industrial strike within the state.
Mr Ajaero said the NLC had instructed state councils across Nigeria to prepare for state delegates’ meetings to elect new leaders in all parliamentary areas of the country.
Some of his NLC officials have been sent to various states to act as pollsters in the election, which was billed last Tuesday, Ajaero said.
The Labour Congress president alleged that the Imo State Government “sought to influence the outcome of the elections in the state,” by offering gratifications to the delegates to vote for their “chosen candidates.”
“This meddlesomeness was resisted by the delegates who refused the unholy offerings and baits to vote for their chosen candidates,” he said.
Mr Ajaero claimed that the state government was enraged by the delegates’ rejection of their offerings and resorted to violence ostensibly to disrupt the exercise.
“When it was obvious to the government and their goons that their stooges were going to overwhelmingly lose in the elections, thugs who were armed to the teeth descended on the Delegates inflicting various degrees of injuries on them, chasing them away and carting away materials meant for the conduct of the elections that were supposed to be at the heart of the conference.
“As if that was not enough, security agents led by the police and the so-called State Investigative Bureau invaded the venue and completed the sordid episode,” he stated, insisting that the “blood cuddling” and the act of violence on people who gathered for a democratic election was inexcusable.
Continuing, he said,
“NLC considers this the height of irresponsibility thus unacceptable and falls far below accepted standards of behaviour by individuals who occupy high offices in Nigeria, especially the government of states.
cc: Premium Times Ng
