Trade Union Congress (TUC) President Festus Osifo has declared that the union will proceed with its scheduled strike, despite an existing court order prohibiting it.
Osifo justified the decision by accusing the Federal Government of consistently disregarding court orders, setting what he deemed a negative precedent for labor unions.
In an interview on Arise TV, Osifo defended the union’s stance, citing instances where the government ignored court orders, such as the detention of Central Bank Governor Godwin Emefiele by the Department of State Services (DSS) against court directives for his release.
Expressing skepticism about the legitimacy of the court order against the TUC’s strike, Osifo raised the possibility that it might be a “black market injunction” aimed at undermining labor movements. He challenged the authorities to take action against all Nigerian workers if they were genuinely committed to enforcing the order.
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Osifo, adopting a defiant tone, stated, “I don’t have any service. If you want to charge us to court, we are here. We are not running away; Nigeria is our own. We will fight for the soul of this country.”
The nationwide strike, initiated on Monday, serves as a protest against the alleged brutality suffered by Joe Ajaero, the NLC president, in Imo state on November 1.