Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State has said the assault on the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Joe Ajaero, is regrettable.
Uzodimma, who spoke during an interview on Channels TV Politics Today on Thursday said Ajaero was a member of the Labour Party and is pursuing whatever programme that will give an advantage to the Labour Party.
Ajaero was beaten up and arrested and released to be rushed to hospital last week Wednesday just before a planned protest in Owerri, Imo State to press the State government to heed the demands of its workers tabled before it by the State chapter of NLC.
According to Uzodinma: “I was not aware that the president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) was in my state. What I did was that to condemn the action. I have never had disagreement with the labour union.”
“It has nothing to do with my government. Whether Joe Ajaero is the president of NLC or not, I will not wish this to happen to any human being. Of course I have to apologize because it happened in my state.
‘I am a Christian and believe in God. I can’t support violence. I can never support violence. Whatever happened to Joe Ajaero in my state which I am not aware of that led to him being assaulted must be regretted by both my government and myself.
“Going forward I will also like him to do thing in a more civilized manner. That was the point I was making. A man who is from my state to go on street without clearing me out; without bringing all the allegations before me.”
But Uzodimma accused the NLC President of pursuing the agenda of the Labour Party in the State and as a member has been executing whatever programme that will give an advantage to his party.
According to the Governor: “Joe Ajaero is pursuing his personal interest. He (Ajaero) has said times with number that he is a member of Labour Party (LP). He has a candidate in the election of Imo State. So, he is driving whatever programme that will give advantage to the Labour Party in Imo State.”
The NLC had accused the Uzodimma-led government of supervising the assault on Ajaero but the government denied the allegations.
The NLC and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) had since ordered shutdown of essential services in Imo as protest for the attack on Ajaero and declared a nationwide strike effective November 14, 2023.
On Wednesday, aviation unions in Nigeria directed their workers to withdraw services to all public and private Owerri flights (both inwards and outwards) with effect from midnight.
The unions said the strike is indefinite until otherwise directed by the NLC and the TUC.
On Thursday, Labour picketed the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja and grounded air travel activities at the airport.