From Tony John, Port Harcourt
Forum of Former Labour Leaders in Rivers State has condemned the declaration of state of emergency and suspension of democratically elected officers by President Bola Tinubu.
The forum, in a statement titled, ‘The Collapse of Democracy in Rivers State, where is the Organised Labour,’ said the undemocratic rule meant the suspension of the constitution of Nigeria.
In the statement jointly signed by the chairman and the acting secretary of the Forum, Achese Igwe and Bennett Kalio, respectively, the former labour leaders faulted the decision of President Tinubu to declare a state of emergency in the state without exhausting all available reconciliation processes.
Igwe, former National President of NUPENG, who read the statement, warned that the spate of protests against the state of emergency and suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Professor Ngozi Odu, and members of the State House of Assembly, was a signal to the looming danger in the state.
He said: “Ordinarily, as former labour leaders, we are not supposed to lead workers to protest the collapse of democracy in Rivers State. It is the organised labour that is saddled with the responsibility of defending and protecting the nascent democracy that should do that but they are yet to see reasons in the state that we found ourselves.
“Tomorrow, April 19, will be exactly one month when President Bola Tinubu, in a most undesirable and absurd pronouncement on the Rivers State crisis declared a state of emergency and the suspension of the democratically elected governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Ordu, and members of the State House of Assembly for six months.
“To cap it all, the president appointed Vice Admiral Ibolk-Ete lbas (retd) as the sole administrator of the state in what we considered a brazen and flagrant desecration of democracy and the rule of law.
“Furthermore, democratic and legally obligatory pre-requisites were also thrown overboard by the National Assembly through their voice-vote endorsement of President Tinubu’s state of emergency declaration in place of the constitutionally prescribed two thirds majority votes.
“Gentlemen of the Press, as far as the former Labour Leaders Forum is concerned, such mindless take over and destroying fundamental principles of democracy in such an absurd manner in Rivers State amounts to suspension of democracy and the constitution of Nigeria and inviting military dictatorship which the sole administrator has begun to accomplish.”
The forum alleged that the Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd) was acting out a script by dismounting existing democratic structures in the state, by “arbitrarily appointing sole administrators for the local government councils, dissolving and reconstituting boards, commissions and governing councils is a sinister agenda of state capture. That may likely befall other states.
“It is, therefore, our strongest opinion, as former Labour leaders in the state, to call on the organised Labour – the NLC and TUC at the state and national levels to actively join hands with well-meaning Nigerians, civil society organisations and the good people of Rivers State to bring to an immediate end this dangerous undemocratic precedent that has been unleashed in our dear state.
“Organised Labour, especially in Rivers State, as a major stakeholder in the socio-political democratic and economic emancipation of Rivers people, should not be sleeping while the state is apparently on fire.”
The forum declared that the selective application of a state of emergency in Rivers State, while ignoring states constantly plagued by the worst security challenges in the country, is undoubtedly questionable.
Achese Igwe expressed: “The Forum is absolutely at a loss to apprehend how the political crisis and upheavals in Rivers State have warranted such extreme measures taken against the people.
“It is very glaring that this decision is taken in bad faith against the good people of Rivers State. On a very good note, we can boldly say that Nigeria, as a sovereign nation, cannot stand or succeed without Rivers State.
“The former Labour Leaders Forum in Rivers State, therefore, calls on President Bola Tinubu to reconsider his action and recall Fubara, his deputy, Prof. Odu, and members of the state House of Assembly in the interest of peace and democracy.
“Let me reiterate that this forum stands in strong solidarity with all well-meaning people of Rivers State to navigate through these challenging times and deeply empathise with the people and the frustration they are passing through.”
The chairman added that the emergency rule in Rivers State underscores the severe difficulties being faced daily to sustainable livelihood.
He said: “In concluding this address, we once again call on the NLC to live up to the mandate of the Nigerian workers and the masses or immediately throw in the towel.”