Press statement from NLC this evening...
There are rumours circulating that the desperate Jonathan administration has purchased a black market injunction possibly from the National Industrial Court (NIC). The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) is not aware of any such injunction, we were not served any paper of court appearance, we were not present in court nor were we represented in any capacity. Also, the NLC was not served any court summons nor were we served any court order.
The cretins in the Jonathan administration imagine that by seeking to drag the judiciary in the mud, they can avert the general strikes, rallies and mass protests that will begin on Monday 9th January, 2012. They cannot make the simple analysis that the whole populace is angry and that Nigerians do not need any group to ask them to protest an evil policy that seeks to impoverish them.
The NLC asks Nigerians to ignore this childish ploy and rumour; there is no going back on next week’s protests and shutdown.
The issue of the strikes, protests and against an obnoxious policy, is not an industrial relations one; it is not between an employer and an employee. Rather it is one between the Nigerian People versus the Jonathan Government.
So if the issue was taken before the National Industrial Court, then it is the wrong place to shop for a black market injunction. To obtain an injunction from a court that has no competent jurisdiction is to try playing ping pong with the judiciary.
Labour reiterates that the constitutional and fundamental right of Nigerians to protest cannot be annulled.
The NLC asks Nigerians to ignore such rumours; the strikes, mass rallies and protests will go on as scheduled. The NLC advises the Jonathan administration to listen to the people or face their justifiable wrath.
Owei Lakemfa
Acting General Secretary
