The Lamidi Apapa-led faction of the Labour Party on Saturday said it was not responsible for the shutdown of the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport which left passengers stranded on Thursday.
The spokesperson of the faction, Abayomi Arabambi, made this known in a statement made available to our correspondent in Lokoja.
The PUNCH reports that the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress on Thursday shut down the Nnamdi Azikwe Airport in Abuja.
The shutdown was in a bid to ground outbound flights to Imo state following the alleged brutalisation of the national president of the NLC, Joe Ajaero. But the LP while distancing itself from the shutdown said it was not in the know of the protest and hence should not be associated with it.
“The attention of the Labour party has been drawn to some news in various print and electronic media credited to the Hon Minister of Aviation and Aero Space Development, Mr Festus Keyamo SAN where he warned the NLC and TUC not to allow the Labour Party to destroy the labour movement in Nigeria.
“The LP under Lamidi Apapa wishes to make it clear to the Minister and Nigerians that it was Peter Obi, Athan Achonu and Joe Ajaero military wing supporters of the Labour Party masquerading as Labour unions members workers on Wednesday that criminally blocked the road to Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja under the false pretext of avenging the attack on Ajaero in Owerri, capital of Imo.
“The provocative political agenda of Joe Ajaero led Supporters of Peter Obi Support group was primarily aimed to Conquer Nigeria under the false narratives of agitating for the welfare of Imo State workforce and we commended the men of the Nigeria Army and Police whose timely intervention crushed the unwarranted insurrection of NLC boss who couldn’t distinguish between seeking redress over an infringement on fundamental human rights and conduct likely to cause breach of peace and waging war against the President in other to intimidate to cause a violent overthrow.”
The party further accused Ajaero of indiscriminate use of the Labour movement to prosecute what the party described as the “personal agenda of attempted political and economic conquest of his home state of Imo is an affirmation of his desire to Overthrow democracy.
“Just yesterday, he was quoted to have said that nothing is wrong if INEC postpones the scheduled Saturday election and further affirmed their decision to go ahead with the strike by midnight of Monday despite the restraining order granted to the Federal Government of Nigeria by the National Industrial court.”
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