Noah Ebije, Kaduna

The organised labour has hailed Nigerians for nurturing uninterrupted democratic process for 19 years, adding that regardless of the numerous current challenges of governance, the task is to deepen democracy.

In a statement marking Democracy Day, in Kaduna, entitled, “Forward Ever Democracy”, General Secretary Textile Union and NLC NEC member, Comrade Issa Aremu recalled, “The gross violations of trade union and workers’ rights under prolonged military dictatorships before 1999, never again should Nigerians and indeed all Africans allow any unelected or unelectable group of military adventurers rule them without their mandate.”

According to the labour leader within 40 years of its existence, three NLC National Executives were dissolved by successive military regimes of Murtala  Obasanjo, (1978) Ibrahim Babangida (1998) and Sanni Abacha (1994) for exercising basic trade union rights to defend the rights of working men and women as contained in core ILO Conventions dealing with Freedom of Association and Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87) and Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention (98).

Aremus also said in 2004, despite his disposition to attack trade union rights, elected President Obasanjo in a democracy could not dissolve the NLC as he did as the Head of a military junta due to constitutionality imposed by democracy.

Comrade Aremu said having been victim of past military repression, “democracy is not just a means for the Labour movement,  democracy is an end itself that must be defended at all times.”

He noted that, “Democracy Day celebrates liberty as much as it damns and condemns dictatorships.”

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The Labour leader said it was “insufficiency in democratic practices”  among the politicians that is worsening the crisis of governance in the country, adding that security and economic challenges can only be overcome  if ordinary people are involved in governance.

“We must democratise the public space and rescue the country from the total capture and dominance of few unaccountable self serving ruling elite,” he said.

The labour leader called for eternal vigilance in defense of democracy in Africa, noting that  some politicians still harbor “the culture of militarism foreclosing debates, discussions, bargaining and compromise and even promoting force, and intimidation of workforce and trade unions reminiscent of the military era.”

On security, Aremu urged President Buhari and governors in the crisis-ridden states  to heed the advice of Professor Mahmoud Jega, former INEC chairman who at 2018 Democracy Day Lecture  said that both the Federal and states authorities should urgently develop “capacity, institutions, structures and process of peace building” as a   necessary condition for democratic consolidation.

He said it was unacceptable for Nigeria that had been adjudged a peace building nation in war torn Liberia, Sierra Leone and Sudan to be afflicted with preventable crisis adding that “it was time  Nigeria’s peace /charity ship  berthed at home.”