Oshiomole urged the Senate to condemn the act of brutality against protesters, including the President of the NLC.
Senator Adams Oshiomhole (APC, Edo North) has decried the manner in which the Nigeria police manage protests and called for urgent action to address the issue.
Oshiomole, who is a former NLC chairman, made the call while contributing to a motion of urgent public importance on the need for the NLC and TUC to reconsider its current stance on the ongoing industrial action sponsored by Senator Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central) on Wednesday.
He said, “I fought when I was in the NLC. I was dragged on the floor at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport because we had issued a notice to go on strike, and I was brutalised.
“I think it is legitimate for us as Senators to condemn, without any reservation, the act of brutality against protesters, including the President of the NLC,” Oshiomole stated.
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In his lead debate, Bamidele, noted that the strike which commenced on the 14th of November 2033 is not unconnected with the alleged assault and brutality of the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress during the election campaign in Imo State.
The Senate leader expressed concern over most of the demands of the NLC, which according to him, is not targeted towards just the welfare of the Nigerian workers but, on the alleged political involvement of the President of the NLC, who also is a citizen of Imo State, and had the right to be a part of the political campaign process in the state.
“The leaders of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), counterparts and other affiliate labour unions, such as the Academics Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), National Union of Electricity employees, Nigeria Union of Teachers, Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria, Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics among others, have commenced the nationwide strike. If this strike is allowed to continue, it will lead to a total collapse of our economy,” Bamidele submitted.
In his contribution, Senator Adamu Aliero (PDP, Kebbi Central) also warned that if the Senate does not intervene, the strike will cause a lot of economic distortion and devastation to the economy.
Following debates on the motion, the Senate called on the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) to immediately put an end to the strike in the National interest.
It also mandated the Senate President and the Senate leadership to invite the leadership of the NLC, TUC, ASUU, and other relevant agencies to address the issues and come to an amicable resolution.
