You Want To Blackmail My Government, Uzodimma Accuses Ajaero Of Partisan Politics

The Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, has accused the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Joe Ajaero, of blackmailing his government.

Uzodimma disclosed this while addressing journalists at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja.

This is as Uzodimma’s refuted the NLC’s claim of his refusal to pay workers salaries in the state, while also owing pensioners of their pensions for 21 months.

Recall that THE WHISTLER earlier reported that Ajaero had accused the Imo State government of “violating the rights of the Nigerian workers in the state,” and therefore vowed to mobilise members of the union in the state for a total strike on Wednesday, November 1.

However, Uzodimma said since his inauguration as the state governor to date, workers’ salaries have been paid and Ajaero’s plan to protest through the NLC was a means to blackmail his government.

“When I came into Imo state as the governor on January 15th 2020, from 2020 January till date, there’s no month we have not paid salary before the 30th.

“What has happened in this ugly incident is that the national President of Nigeria Labour Congress is from Imo state and has not been able to demarcate the difference between being a national leader of an organisation and an interested party in local politics, but God will manage the situation.

“The situation is that before this time, I thought that the trade union was a democratic entity that allowed the opinion of people.

“I challenge any Imo State civil servant to come out and say that between 2020 January 15th till date, he has not received salary in any of the months.

“So, I understand the sensitivity of this event but I want you people to be very careful because there’s an attempt to mix up partisan politics or an attempt to blackmail my government” Uzodimma said.

Speaking further he accused Ajaero of not relating with the Imo State chapter of the NLC hence he would not have commenced the November 1 protest in the state.

“I can tell you that my people are already aware; that was why the NLC Imo State chapter addressed a world press conference that what their national leadership is doing is not correct and that they are not going to embark on any strike or protest,” Uzodimma said.

Recall that THE WHISTLER had earlier reported that Philip Nwansi the chairman of the NLC Imo State Chapter had announced that the NLC Imo State chapter would be pulling out of the November 1 protest in the state.

Reacting to the announcement Ajaero had said, “For trying to undermine the Nigeria Labour Congress in the state by foisting on the state council a leadership not constituted by the provisions of the Congress constitution, Imo state is now charged for a major industrial action.”