Sophia Michaels
Imo Governor Hope Uzodinma has finally broken his silence after alleged security operatives brutalized the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Joe Ajaero.
There were allegations that the brutalization was masterminded by the governor.
Reacting, Uzodinma alleged that there is currently an attempt by some individuals and groups to blackmail his government ahead of the November 11 governorship poll in the state.
The governor made the remarks on Thursday at the Presidential Villa after President Bola Tinubu presented flags to the All progressives Congress, APC governorship candidates for Imo, Bayelsa, and Kogi ahead of the forthcoming elections.
Uzodinma was reacting to the protest staged by members of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC in Owerri on Wednesday which led to the brutalization of the union’s President, Joe Ajaero.
Ajaero had alleged that security operatives tortured him after some miscreants hijacked the protest. The workers were protesting unpaid salaries.
Speaking on the matter, Uzodinma insisted that the state workers are not owed any outstanding salaries.
Addressing the situation surrounding Joe Ajaero, Uzodinma explained that Ajaero has faced challenges in separating his roles as the national president of the labor union from his engagement as an interested party in the local politics of Imo State.
He said, “From January 2020, there is no month that we failed to pay salaries. Before this time, I thought that the labour union is a democratic entity that allows the opinion of people. I don’t pay federal civil servants, I only pay Imo State civil servants.
“I challenge any Imo State civil servant to come up and say that he did not receive salary from January 15, 2020 till date.
“The NLC President is from Imo State. He has not been able to establish the difference between being a leader of an organization and an interested party in local politics.
“I want you people to be very careful because there is an attempt to mix-up partisan politics and attempt to blackmail my government.”
