Governor Nyesom Wike
The Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, has said unless the
Federal Government (FG) apologises to the State and seeks God’s
forgiveness, it will have no peace, according to Daily Sun.
The Governor made the statement yesterday while addressing workers
during the Workers’ Day celebration, at the General Yakubu Gowon
Stadium, Elekahia, Port, Harcourt.
The governor, who charged the organised labour to be apolitical,
noted that the country is hunted and bedevilled by killings, because the
Federal Government politicised security crisis in Rivers because it is
not an All Progressives Congress (APC) state.
“Don’t just see me as governor of Rivers state; see me as a
soldier of God. For those, who are planning against me in Abuja, I say,
you will fail. The day you touch Rivers, you finish Nigeria.
“When they tried to compromise security, I told them if Rivers
state has a problem and they don’t want to look into it, one day Nigeria
will burn. And I told them until they (FG) come and seek forgiveness
and tell God ‘we are sorry for what we did to Rivers state’, they will
never see peace.
“I asked them to come to our aid and they said it is People’s Democratic Party (PDP) state,” he said.
Speaking further, the governor promised to implement any policy
that would be useful to workers and said any attempt to introduce
politics into the organised labour would be counter-productive.
He said: “Anything you want me to do in the interest of the
state, I will do. But, when you introduce politics, I will come out as a
politician.
“One thing you must not do to a politician who does not see,
hear or talk; don’t bring politics, when you are demanding something.
“Nobody will deny workers their legitimate rights. I will never
be in support of that. But, you are doing something wrong by
threatening me with strike; that is not democracy.
“The essence of labour is not only to demand rights, you
should, also, demand free and fair election. How many times has Labour
talked against what is happening in the state? How many times have you
condemned the federal government for changing police commissioners from
left to centre.
“How many times have you cautioned those insulting Independent
National Electoral Commission officials? Labour is not only for
increment in wages; it is not only about building secretariat for you,
buy buses or generator. Labour is part of talking of survival of
democracy in the country.
“During the previous administration, when former president
Goodluck Jonathan wanted to remove subsidy from fuel, Labour went on
strike. Today, they have removed subsidy Labour failed.
“We all witness what is happening in the country today. Look at
the killings. If you talk about the increment of wages and you don’t
have children, brothers, sisters, mothers and fathers, then, what is the
increment of wages and people are dying everyday? Nobody says anything.
“Talk about how Nigeria will move forward and not only increment. It will come and nobody will stop it,” the governor said.
Earlier, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), through the state
Chairman, Blessing Itobo, had demanded an improved welfare package and
remuneration.
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