By Ahmad Tijjani Abdul
A former National Vice President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Isa Tijjani, on Saturday said Joe Ajaero, the incumbent President of the Union, lacks the wherewithal to lead an organized labour in Nigeria.
Comrade Isa Tijjani who spoke in Kano said Joe Ajero’s leadership credentials, and style of leadership has eroded the confidence Nigerians once had on the Union.
Tijjani explained that incessant strike action by the Labour in the recent couple of months has rubbished the role of union as a critical stakeholder.
The former Labour chief said “bargaining power is not always hundred percent, but as a pressure group, if you have sixty to seventy percent of what you are looking for, then you negotiate and allow peace to reign”.
Comrade Tijjani a renowned acolytes of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu stressed that “The integrity of NLC today is at stake, because they have deviated from their main jobs of protecting the collective rights of Nigerians which has given out Joe Ajaero is ill-equipped for the business.”
He noted that “even when Government is making frantic efforts to solve the issues raised by the NLC, Ajero still insist on going on strike, or protest, clearly showing that he didn’t means well for this country”.
Comrade Isa Tijjani stated that, “In the glorious past of NLC, we were held in high esteem, whenever we barked, we had a serious reason to shout and we were listen to, but today the NLC is acting as if they have some ulterior motives away from the real issues”.
He cautioned that, “how can NLC asked for N450,000 minimum wage, which every right thinking persons knows is practically impossible, how much does a State have and how much are they spending on salaries and other wages, which of the Nigeria State or local government can pay such kind of minimum wage”.
“Further more we don’t seems to understand that salaries are not increased by figure but by percentage and even at that, today a local government is paying as salary 58 percent of it’s total incomes, how much are they getting, we need to be realistic in our bargaining”.
Comrade Isa Tijjani, however disagreed with President Tinubu that NLC is an opposition Party and that they should stand for election in 2027, explaining that such statement shouldn’t have comes from the President.
He said rather than making such comments the President Tinubu should call for a colloquium to discuss issues at stake, as a means that would use to address the prevailing situations.