Call APC to order, Osun won’t accept imposition — Labour tells Tinubu

By Deborah Oladejo, Osogbo –

Organised labour in Osun State has appealed to President Bola Tinubu to call members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to order and ensure that the August 15 governorship election is not turned into a war.

Speaking during a mini congress of organised labour held at the gate of the State Government Secretariat in Osogbo, the state chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Christopher Arapasopo, urged workers, pensioners and other residents of the state to exercise their constitutional rights by voting for candidates of their choice without fear or intimidation.

Arapasopo said, “We are appealing to the President, who is the leader of the country and also the father of Osun State, to please call Osun APC to order. This election should not be war. We are appealing that this election should be free and fair. We, as workers and pensioners of Osun State, have every right to vote for whosoever that pleases us”.

Explaining the palliative issue, the NLC chairman said organised labour had earlier written to Governor Ademola Adeleke on April 8, requesting palliatives to cushion the effects of the economic difficulties in the country.

According to him, labour initially requested N20,000 for each worker and pensioner but later accepted the governor’s offer of N10,000 each after a meeting in July.

Arapasopo said the labour unions were therefore surprised by claims on social media by the APC that the payment was an attempt by the governor to buy votes, stressing that the request for the palliatives originated from organised labour.

Also speaking, the state chairman of the Joint Negotiation Council, Comrade Olamilekan Adediran, appealed to President Tinubu to intervene, saying the quest for political power should not result in violence, the freezing of the state government’s account or the removal of state leaders and cabinet members.

“We’ve been in Osun for long. We know the government we like. We don’t want imposition in Osun. Getting to the position of power is not a do-or-die affair. We know what we want, what is suitable for our people here,” he stated.