Emmanuel Thomas
April 15, 2015 – Trade Union Congress (TUC) Nigeria has berated, Comrade Francis Adetunji for what it described as acts of gross indiscipline for allegedly mobilising thugs on Tuesday 14th April to enforce an illegal workers’ strike in Osun State.
It also called on Commissioners of Police and Justice in Osun State to arrest and prosecute him for hiring thugs to beat up workers in the state in a bid to enforce the strike.
In a statement, Comrade Bobboi Kaigama and Musa Lawal, President and Secretary of TUC described what Adetunji did as unbecoming.
“Adetunji was TUC Chairman in the State of Osun until 6th of March, 2014 when a new executive committee under the chairmanship of Comrade Akinyemi Olatunji was elected.
“Incidentally this was after Adetunji had unlawfully extended his tenure in office for two extra years after the three years allowed by the constitution of TUC”, the union explained.
It noted that Adetunji has refused to acknowledge and accept the new executive committee led by Comrade Akinyemi Olatunji who also doubles as the state chairman of Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN), an affiliate of TUC.
According to TUC, Adetunji constituted himself into a lone dissident albeit sponsored by the state government to pander to its anti-labour tendencies and undermine the lawful interests of the same workers whom he once led.
“ Incidentally whenever his paymasters in government failed to meet his criminal monetary demands, he turned against them by employing all manner of threats to arm-twist them to pay up.
“Such is the background to his latest case of banditry that has left them agape in incredulity”, it said.
The TUC said it finds Adetunji’s unruly behaviour totally reprehensible and deserving of comprehensive punishment under the law.
“Never in the history of the congress has any individual or group portraying themselves as members of the congress stooped so despicably low as to hire stern-looking armed thugs to physically assault innocent people including fellow workers as well as journalists whose video camera were even confiscated.
“It is about time that he was compelled to imbibe the progressive, selfless spirit that has seen many of those who lost in the recent national and state general elections putting congratulatory calls through to their triumphant opponents and offering to help their administrations succeed”, the TUC said and dissociates itself from Adetunji and his criminal, anti-union activities.
“We reiterate that he does not represent the congress and has no capacity to call out workers on any strike action. The unauthorised use of a bus belonging to the congress to convey thugs to the secretariat of the Government of the State of Osun to beat up dutiful workers is the height of irresponsibility on the part of the former chairman, and we condemn it in its entirety”, the TUC said.
