NLC vs Kaduna Govt Faceoff: Falana Breaks Silence on El-Rufai’s 'Wanted Order', States What Law Says
- Governor Nasir El-Rufai has come under harsh criticisms over his order on Ayuba Wabba
- The Kaduna leader had on Tuesday, May 18, declared Wabba and some officials of the NLC wanted
- Reacting to this, Femi Falana noted that El-Rufai is not backed constitutionally to make such an order
- According to the senior lawyer, the labour unions have every rights to go on strike and protest peacefully
Femi Falana (SAN) has lambasted Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna state for declaring the president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Ayuba Wabba and other union leaders wanted.
The NLC had on Monday, May 17, embarked on a protest and strike to press home their demand bordering on the mass sack of workers in the state.
Source: Twitter
Legit.ng gathered that the strike paralysed critical sectors of the economy in the state.
Disturbed by the development, the Kaduna state government, declared Wabba and other NLC leaders wanted for economic sabotage and attacks on public infrastructure under the Miscellaneous Offences Act.
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It was reported that El-Rufai said on Tuesday, May 18, via his Twitter handle @elrufai that anyone who knows where Wabba is hiding should send a message to the ministry of justice, Kaduna state.
In his reaction to El-Rufai’s declaration, Falana described as ‘laughable’ the claim that the labour leaders contravened the provisions of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, Channels TV reports.
The Lagos-based human rights lawyer said that by the combined effect of the Trade Union Act and the Nigerian constitution, Comrade Wabba and other labour leaders have the unquestionable rights to participate in the peaceful warning strike.
He, therefore, called on the authorities of the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies to ignore the statement by El-Rufai which he described as “illegal".
Meanwhile, Wabba has said the Kaduna governor lacks the power to declare him wanted. He disclosed this during a Channels TV programme.
According to him, labour unions have the right to protest and are protected by the law.
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Legit.ng had previously reported that the federal government intervened in the crisis between the Kaduna state government and the leadership of the NLC.
In a statement addressing the issue, the minister of labour and employment, Chris Ngige, called on the NLC and Governor El-Rufai to embrace peaceful dialogue.
The ministry admitted that what started as a state crisis has graduated into national mayhem already.
In specific terms, the ministry urged the Kaduna governor not to further escalate matters to uncontrollable proportions.
Source: Legit.ng
