By Chinonso Alozie

The Southern Youth Wing of the Christian Association of Nigeria,  on Thursday, pleaded for a peaceful resolution between the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and the Imo state government. 

The Chairman, Barr. Oluchukwu Green Nnabugwu, made this appeal while speaking to newsmen in Owerri, on the controversies that led to the NLC, immediate order resulting in over one week of blackout in Imo. 

Last week Wednesday the NLC President, was in Imo state for a strike action, and he was allegedly beaten by suspected government agents. 

However, Oluchukwu, who is also the convener of Imo Christian Youth Peace Initiative ( ICYPI) said: “CAN Sympathized with the NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajero for the reported assault mounted on him in the state while reiterating that other measures of settlement could have been taken against the government or they could exploit other legal avenues like petitioning the police for investigations and then to court rather than allowing the masses which are supposed to be the utmost priority for the creation of the union, to languish in penury as a result of the shutdown action.

“Election time is always a sensitive period in every circle of government. There are things ordinarily one might want to do but considering that it is an election period,  it will be shelved. Comrade Ajero who is the National president of NLC has been doing well, and I sincerely sympathize with him over the unfortunate incident in his State but I feel that there is a lack of wisdom in his actions and his actions can be perceived to be suspicious.”

“If I were him I would never engage with Imo State Government directly being an indigene. I will send a delegation. It is not mandatory that the president of NLC must be on good terms with his own Governor because the relationship is not by force. But wisdom calls that the situation where the state is going through the electioneering process,  security threats, and all that, I feel shutting down the state a few days to election is not the best solution to resolving the conflict”. Let me say this, NLC should watch it.. they are losing the support of people on this Matter and soon their houses scatter if care is not taken.

“I therefore call upon CAN and other religious and political associations to rise against the shutdown in other to avert untimely deaths of poor Imo indigenes and untold hardship. I also charge all eligible voters to come out en mass on Saturday, November 11 to vote for their preferred candidate,” he said.