From Adanna Nnamani, Abuja
Airport workers and airline passengers had a hectic time accessing the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja on Thursday morning, Organised Labour made good its threat to disrupt flight services by blocking the entrance into the airport.
The convoy of the Union looked like a carnival float as they chanted zestful songs of protest in solidarity with the NLC President, Joe Ajaero, who was recently attacked in Owerri by louts allegedly loyal to the State Governor, Hope Uzodinma.
Daily Sun gathered the protesters gathered along the airport road as early as 7am, bunched together and drove to the airport.
The procession was policed by security agencies to forestall the breakdown of law and order.
Some passengers frowned at the development, saying they missed their flights and were forced to reschedule at exorbitant rates.
Airport workers too were part of the collateral damage as they were unable to access their offices for hours.
DailySun also gathered that the rally would be moving to the office of the Attorney General of the Federation afterwards.
The Organised Labour had said it would take over access to the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos and the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja on Thursday, as part of its protest against the government of Imo State.
General Secretary of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Emmanuel Ugboaja, who described Wednesday’s strike in Imo as fairly successful in a phone interview with DailySun, said labour would not rest until the international community came and investigated Governor Hope Uzodinma.
He said: “For a matter that people had barely Six hours to comprehend, it was fair in the circumstance.
“The strike is on, the clown became panicky and declared tomorrow and Friday Public holidays. So nothing is going on in Imo.
“Tomorrow, we will be having actions at Abuja and Lagos airports. We will take over the airport access. There is no light in Imo, everything is on holiday, because an evil man is trying to force himself on people. That cannot work. There should be an end to his madness. Their determination is to forcefully say that he has won the election.
Asked if the Union was not worried that the November 11 governorship election in the state would be affected by the strike, thereby automatically extending Uzodinma’s tenure, Ugboaja said: “He cannot be a governor of a state that is not functioning. There are provisions in our country. You cannot continue to keep an evil man. We want the international community to come and investigate him. People have been slaughtered by this man, properties destroyed.”
On Tuesday, Organised Labour ordered its members to immediately withdraw services and shutdown Imo state indefinitely beginning at midnight.
Labour also directed public and private workers all over the federation to join in withdrawing their services by Midnight Tuesday, the 14th of November, if their demands were still unmet.
The action by the Organised Labour followed the brutalisation of NLC National President, Joe Ajaero, last week in Imo State.
The leadership of the NLC and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), reached the resolution after a joint National Executive Council (NEC) meeting on Tuesday in Abuja.
The labour centres had given some conditions for calling of the strike which included, investigation and deployment of the Commissioner of Police in Imo; sack of the Area Commander of the Police and all other Officers and Men in Owerri through whom the Police Commissioner supervised the the attack; as well as the arrest and immediate prosecution of Mr Nwaneri Chinasa, aid to Uzodinma.
They also asked for an immediate, independent and unbiased thorough professional medical examination of all victims of the attack; immediate restoration of all properties lost and urgent implementation of all the outstanding Industrial Relations agreements previously entered with the state government.
Although, the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun,at the weekend, redeployed Barde for what he tagged “neutrality sake” ahead of the November 11, 2023 governorship election in Imo State.