NLC to Aggrieved Political Parties: Challenge Your Defeat in Court

Ugo Aliogo

The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has urged aggrieved political parties in the just concluded presidential and National Assembly (NASS) elections to challenge their cases in the court.

NLC President, Joe Ajaero, stated this yesterday when he led national executives of the congress on a visit to the Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals (ANAP) at the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) office in Lagos.

He said losers in the elections have the right to seek redress in court or even protest if they think that the contest was not transparent, free and fair.

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu, had yesterday, announced Bola Tinubu of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) as Nigeria’s president-elect from the February 25, polls.

Some political parties, including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Labour Party (LP) had rejected the outcome of the election. The political parties alleged that the poll was rigged in favour of Tinubu, who secured 8,794,726 votes to defeat Atiku Abubakar (PDP), and Peter Obi (LP), who garnered 6,984,520, and 6,101,533 votes to place second and third positions, respectively.

Speaking further, Ajaero said: “The elections have come and gone. If you ask me, the courts are there for people to take their grievances to. People can equally protest if they don’t like what is happening, they can adopt any legal measure.”

He lauded the performance of Labour Party candidates, scoring them high in the presidential and National Assembly elections, stressing that Labour now has a voice in the National Assembly.

According to the NLC president, “The deliberations on the floor of the National Assembly will be robust as the candidates will contribute to improve the welfare of the masses.

“The Labour Party candidates have performed creditably; they have come up to be the voice of the masses in the National Assembly. The Labour Party would be reorganised to take over leadership in the country. I am calling on workers to be patient.

“Labour Party performed creditably well in the presidential election. We have more Labour Party candidates elected into the National Assembly. We trust and believe that the candidates will prove themselves. We now have a voice in the Assembly.”

In another development, the NLC President said following the planned concession of 17 airports under the management of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), the NLC had warned that nobody could take over the aviation industry without following the due process.

The federal government plans to unbundle aviation regulations and concession 17 airports.

Reacting to the challenges facing the aviation industry, Ajaero said the issue of concession cannot be done without paying entitlement of workers.

He urged the workers not to listen to whoever wants to take over the industry, saying such move was a joke.

“Don’t panic about the concession of the airport, whatever they have done now is void ab-initio. As the minister in charge of aviation and essential service, he should be careful and sensitive with the challenges of the industry,” he said.

The NLC President also said there was need for Nigeria to have a national carrier, saying the nation cannot depend on the foreign carriers.

Earlier, the General Secretary of Association Nigeria Aviation Professionals (ANAP), Saidu Rasaq complained of bad management of the industry.