By Michael Oche
Comrade Uchenna Nwokeji, chairman of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) in Imo State has blamed the immediate past caretaker committee chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Imo state, Rev comrade Philip Nwansi for the ongoing industrial action by workers in the state.
It will be recalled that following the directives by the national president of NLC, Comrade Joe Ajaero, workers in Imo State on March 9 shut down the state with the Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport, Owerri, Imo State and petrol stations cut affected over the militarisation and brutalisation of Congress Members in state by government agents.
But, speaking with journalists in Owerri, Comrade Nwokeji , said the outgoing caretaker chairman, Nwansi, had written several letters to the national leadership of NLC, intimating them on the ugly treatments meted out to the workers in the state by the state government.
Nwansi, who is also the chairman of NUT in Imo State, had wanted to run the election for the state chairman of NLC but was disqualified on age grounds.
However, despite that he is not qualified to run, he was sponsored by the state government to run, a development that angered all the workers in the state who resolved to allow him run so that he could be defeated.
Comrade Nwokeji said: “Philip is not qualified and we told him so. But some elements in the government wanted to impose him on the Organized Labour. And we said no to that.
“He was disqualified on the grounds of age. It is stipulated in NLC law that for you to run for any position, you should not be more than 55 years of age and years of service not more than 30 years ,the guideline stated that if your retirement by age or service will lapse before end of the tenure is not eligible to contest.
He accused the commissioner for information in Imo State, Declan Emelumba and former NLC chairman, Austin Chilakpu of “ using Philip Nwanshi to cause trouble.”
The SSANU chair said further, “But because Philip Nwansi is being pushed at all costs by the state commissioner for information, Declan Emelumba to become NLC chairman, he(Philip) presented two birth certificates: 1965 and 1967. Yet his primary school leaving certificate was obtained in 1977.
“It was all these that we looked at and told Emelumba that we cannot have Philip as our chairman.
“But, when they insisted, the national president of NLC asked that he be allowed to run. We respected the national president but decided that we will vote Nwansi out at the poll.
“But, just as we were about to commence the election, Nwansi said he was no longer going to participate in the election. Before we knew what was happening, some thugs invaded our election venue and destroyed things, and stopped the election. The national president in his magnanimity, had to appoint a new caretaker committee since that of Nwansi had been dissolved”.
Nwokeji cautioned those attempting to ridicule the name of the NLC national president, Comrade Joe Ajaero to stop henceforth because despite the fact that he hails from Imo State, he had always wanted justice to prevail against imposition.
He also warned a former chairman of NLC in the state, Comrade Chilakpu to cease from stoking more trouble in the congress after his tenure.
Nwokeji disclosed that apart from the militarisation and brutalisation of Congress Members in state by government agents, the outgoing NLC caretaker committee chairman, Philip had written a series of letters to the national executive council of NLC over unfriendly treatment the workers in the state were receiving from the state government.
“It is good for the public to understand that the ongoing strike action by workers in Imo State was caused by Philip Nwansi who wrote a series of letters to the national leadership, intimating them about the agony the workers in the state were going through.
