The organized Labor Party said that if the state of emergency was declared by President Tinob in Rivers State on March 18, it could reverse within a reasonable time frame and could be forced to take decisive action that could undermine the national economic activity.
The threats were included in a statement by Alex Agwanwor, President of Rivers (NLC), of the Nigerian Labour Assembly, Sir Ikechukukwu Onyefuru (TUC National President, TUC) and Chuku Emecheta (National President, JNC).
Unions raised concerns about the legitimacy, economic impacts and consequences of federal government actions. Organized laborers will announce a state of emergency and will be elected governor, lieutenant governor and members of parliament suspended for premature birth and baselessness.
According to the union leaders, the people of River State freely elected these officials, and any attempt to expel them outside the constitutional process undermined democracy.
They insist that such actions must be reversed to protect the integrity of Nigeria’s democratic system.
They highlighted the immediate difficulties that the emergency has caused to local government workers, many of whom have not received their salaries.
The statement noted that the withholding of workers’ wages has caused them to suffer avoidable financial suffering, especially when the cost of living is already high.
The organized Labor Party warned that the state of emergency could have devastating economic consequences, stressing the strategic importance of Rivers to the Nigerian economy and the Niger Delta region.
It said further instability in the River State could worsen the national situation as the country is already struggling to cope with inflation, depreciation of the naira, high exchange rates, rising unemployment and soaring cost of living.
The statement also noted that the political uncertainty caused by the emergency drove potential investors who expressed interest in the state’s economic initiatives.
According to labor leaders, this investment loss is hurting income (IGR) generated within the state and will have a long-term impact on economic development and employment opportunities in the region.
While acknowledging the need to maintain law and order, organized labor stressed the need to implement such actions within the framework of the Nigerian Constitution.
The union believes that the suspension of elected officials and allegedly undermining workers’ wage payments violates fundamental rights and may worsen security and economic challenges.
They urged the federal government to prioritize the security and welfare of citizens for their political interests, warning that any governance method that sacrifices workers’ welfare of political action will only increase tensions and resistance.
The statement calls on the president, the National Assembly and the judiciary to take immediate measures to reverse the emergency and restore suspended elected officials.
In order to resolve the situation peacefully, the union recommended that the federal government engage in meaningful dialogue with relevant stakeholders.
They warned that failing to do so could lead to a further escalation of the crisis, worsening the already tense political climate in the state.
Organized labor leaders warned that they would not hesitate to take strategic union action when their requests were not met within a reasonable time frame.
They stressed that such actions could have a significant impact on national economic activities.
