President of Nigeria Labour Congress,NLC Comrade Abdulwaheed Omar whose tenure is coming to an end reflects on his tenure and cautions against setting up an unconstitutional interim national government in Nigeria.It is better to hold democratic elections for a trouble free transition,he said in this exclusive interview conducted by Danlami Nmodu.Excerpts:
Q:..,Your tenure is coming to an end,I’ll like to have a review of what you think your tenure has been like.
A:Well ,my tenure has been just a normal one ,I should say.We have come ,we have done our leve best and we are going..And it is time up for us, because the constitution of Nigeria Labour Congress provides that you occupy an elective position for a maximum of 8 years.That is two terms (of 4 years each) of the whole tenure. And I have exhausted that.By the 11th of this month I would have completed exactly 8 years.And that time ,a new president would have been elected and I hand over and go.You asked me how far it has been ,I would say I have always shied away from this question because I believe one would not be the one to praise himself or herself.However,I must say that we have come,we have done our bit and we are going.It is now history.But in between the time we have spent here ,we have tried to ensure certain things.First and foremost, we tried to maintain the tempo, we tried to maintain the integrity of the congress .And we have also made sure that our leadership style has been a collective leadership where every stakeholder, everybody is carried along.And that is why we have been able to achieve the peace we have achieved so far.And we have also to some extent tried to expand the scope of congress in various areas.Well in the area of our primary assignment which is fighting for the welfare of Nigerian workers,I should say we have been able to fight to stabilize and also obtain to some reasonable degree, the improvement of the minimum wage of the Nigerian worker.Remember when we came on board the minimum wage was just N5000 for states and N5500 for Federal workers.But after a protracted dialogue, at the end of the day we were able to get N18000.Iam not saying N18000 is an ideal amount for the minimum wage for the Nigerian worker .But there is marked improve,ment .And is one major achievement we have gotten there is the fact that we have also been able to agree that the issue of minimum wage will no longer be an abstract thing.That it is now subject to review every five years.It is there in the agreement and by that calculation, this year (2015),it is yet another round for discussion (on) dialogue about minimum wage.And the good thing is that workers would not have to go through all the rogours we had gone through.Now it is going to be the tripartite committee that will sit down, look at the issues,look at the economy, look at the income ofgovernment and employers and also look at the market forces and then fix another amount that will be the minimum wage.
Q:When is that expected to be?
A :This year.Anytime from April.In fact what I expect is that the new leadership will give notice to appropriate quarters in good time so that they will prepare.Let them notify them that year, the year has now come for the review of the minimum wage as agreed and if that is done,Iam sure there wouldn’t be any much rigours…
Q:So you ‘re expect ing your successor to put in place the mechanism for a review of the minimum wage?
A:Yeah,to build on the successes we have achieved and to also follow up to the existing agreement.
Q:Was there a time frame within the agreement as to what number of years(it will take before every review)
A:Five years,after every five years, the minimum wage should be reviewed .But you know review is normally either upwards or down wards.You may even review it in a parallel line that is when you sit down and look at all the indices and you say , no, it is not conducive for us to increase anything now.But is very very important that that review committee is put in place and the review is done.
Q:When you described your tenure as normal and that everything is going on virtually almost normally.There are those who would argue that the NLC is not expected to lead a ‘normal’ regime because you should be a politically conscious movement that is always leading the charge for the people when there is some kind of political crisis and you have been in office at a time Nigeria has had some kind of amazing political challenges .There are those who argue that the NLC has been absent
A:Dormant.
Q: Dormand, exactly ,and dull
A:In which areas?
Q:In terms of when the voices of NLC are expected to be heard issuing challenge to government or issuing some kind of threat to government that if you don’t reverse so and so, we will not accept.The leadership tha people expect from NLC, they are not seeing it.
A:Well, I agree with you but it is also about leadership style.I have always said that there is no basis for anybody to compare me for example as the President of NLC today with Comrade Adamas Oshiomhole from whom I had taken over.Everybody knows that , in our parlance if you say Adams Oshiomhole is an extreme extrovert,then yo can say Iam an introvert.But that does not mean that we are not doing anything ,it depends on the way and the manner and the style we are carrying out all these things.I always try to remind people that our protests and challenges and all these things are not the end in themselves , they are just the means to an end.And as long as you are achieving what you focus or what you target to achieve, no matter what the means are, I think it’s almost the same thing.I assure you that if look at achievements we have recorded,I think, it is really wonderful that we have gotten this far without necessarily being very noisy.But again, it is subject to the dictates of the time or the circumstance.I must say and I think nobody can take this away from us,I must say that maybe the biggest noise was made during my time,the biggest noise ever.
Q:Over what?
A:Over the fuel subsidy (removal,January 2012).Don’t forget that it was Congress that led that biggest noise that threatened,almost bringing down a government.
Q:But there were those who also criticised the Congress for (calling of the strike) when it could have taken it further.Could you explain what exactly happened?
A: Yeah, those who were criticizing congress for (calling off the strike),it is because we did not not meet up with their own personal desires.
Q:What was that?
A:Well some of them maybe desired that.. there were even pronouncements, that let the government come down ,regime change.We said that was not our aim.Our aim was on this issue of fuel price increase, not about changing any regime and we have no apology for that.And remember whatever you do, people will continue to criticise you.We had done what we thought was the best for our workers and for Nigerians in general.And therefore if there are individuals who were not satisfied because we have not measured up to what they wanted us to do, to hide behind our action to achieve their own aims,I think it is up to them.As far as we are concerned, we in the Labour circle we have performed to the best of our ability and we were able to score results.And these results are benefitting Nigerians up till tomorrow…..Remember it was our protest (that led to the removal of former INEC Chair)when we got wind that the President was going to renew his tenure.
Q:You mean Prof Iwu
A:Yeah, we staged a protest and after that protest, the President had to change his mind.That is on electoral reform.And also had reason to carry out protests on a number of issue.Remember on the issue of good governance and corruption, we carried out protests throughout this country which saw us go to Lagos,to Maiduguri, to Makurdi, to Kaduna and FCT and Enugu.
Q:But the NLC is also accused of not taking the Bring Back Our Girls ,the protests against abduction of Chibok girls very seriously and that is seen as a minus…
A:Well ,as a minus for those on the other side.
Q:Why are you not joining forces with the Bring Back our Girls campaign
A: Now let me tell you,that tells you about the independence of NLC.It is not just what anybody decides.No,we have our structures, we have our processes.When this thing happened, we were among the first to condemn it, called on government,I mean we issued strong statements.But the fact that people are now gathered and they are now protesting, Bring Back the Chibok girls ,should we say let us go and join the bandwagon?No.
Q:You didn’t see any sense in the symbolism of gathering?
A:No, there is, there is, but to us,it is not just that we must join that group ..That is the issue.It is not that we have to join somebody and some group and if we don’t,it’s like everything is null and void.When we decide on isssues,it goes through the processes and when we come out to do it,(we do it)
Q:I have heard all kind of criticisms.
A:Yeah,..I agree with you.
Q:Because some people feel that your regime is not that
A:Vibrant
Q:Not just that .That it is not that pugnacious because some of your members are busy doing business with government-Land issues and all that.How do you react to that?
A:No, well you said land issues,I don’t know,but whatever is there, we are running an organization and when we come to the table we discuss issues concerning the organization and we take decision.And as I told you, we are always carrying along everybody.So as far as Iam concerned, congress,we have fared very well.As I told you,it depends on the leadership style.But beyond whether somebody is being pushful or (not) look at , what are those things that have been achieved, or have not been achieved.That should be you yardstick for measurement.Just as the example (just mentioned), Obasanjo in 8 years increased fuel price eleven time.That meant that Adams had reason to call people on the street eleven times.In my own 8 years ,there were only 2 fuel price increases,which means that on that strength I had had only two times, reasons to call people on the street …
Q:The other issue I will like you to address be.fore you exit is this controversy sometime ago over this Kriston-Lally Housing project.For me,it bordered on some kind of unnecessary scandal.What exactly happened?
A :Kriston Lally is one devlopers, organizations we entered into partnership with in terms of provision of shelter vbecause provision of shelter is one of our major priorities.That is why we have been working with a number of developers.Like even the Federal Mortgage Bank itself , we have partnered positively.Houses are being provided.The recent one is the Good Homes.Also buildings are spring up providing houses for workers.On the other hand, this Kriston Lally was also a developer we partnered with based on what he laid for us to see.We went into it and when we started we never envisaged that there was going to be problem.But unfortunately,later, we discovered that there was a lot of fraud in it to the point that we had to terminate it.Let me just tell you what happened .This Kriston-Lally our agreement with him was that workers will pay 10per cent of the total cost of the house.But that 10% will be kept in a bank.It will not be taken.His financiers will bring the money from abroad,build the houses.It is when they finish the houses and deliver, they will qualify to take this 10% and they will continue to pay the balance.Unfortunately, this Kriston Lally, they don’t have very good intention right from the onset because .. we were concerned about the safety of the workers’ money.So we decided that we must be co-signatories to the account where the 10% is kept and that is what made a good magic for us.Now after some time,by October last year,we had reason to write him to say look a lot of people have subscribed ,stop collection.Concentrate and deliver houses on this.He accepted and acknowledged only for him to continue to collect money from people.But from that time what he resorted to telling them was when they came to him,instead of telling them the truth,he would say no that account is closed but I will give you another account.And unfortunately ,people were not so vigilant.For example,people were saying well, because of the image of NLC.But we advertised,asking to pay subscribers to pay their money into NLC/Kriston-Lally EPC account in Zenith Bank and the Account number was given.So if eventually you go to the man to pay your money and the man tells you that no, that account is now closed but I can give you another account, what I expect is that if he gives you another new account without the name of NLC,then you have reason to come back to NLC to ask:is it genuine that we should pay this money into this account?We would have said no.
Q:But there was this impression you had an understanding with the man and you benefitted to the tune of …
A:That I benefitted to the tune of.Is that why they go and pay the money into a wrong account?
Q:Did they pay you any money?
A:Me?who?
Q:About $1.4 million or so
A:Let me tell you about this million dollars.Before then,I was trying to be sequential in telling you that these people went and paid money to this man into a wrong account…We discovered he took money from this account to the tune of 104 million.We said no,it’s not possible.When we did due diligence, we checked,we discovered that all withdrawals he made, he forged my signature.And it is established already even by the security agencies and even by the bank.But the issue now is ,we are trying to safeguard and ensure that the monies contributed by workers are returned to them.That is our major priority.Now let’s come back to the issue of the $1.4million .First he said that he gave me $1.4million within a period of 15months with the view to distributing to my colleagues.And I am saying that even common sense will tell people.First I have never had any private meeting with that man outside my office .And my office is always open to people.There is even no way you can come to my office without meeting one or two people.I thank God,I have never met him anywhere outside my office.Except after when we discovered this thing ,I met them in a restaurant.That time the thing had already come out and we were looking for him to be able to go to the bank…and I met him with my other colleagues.Outside that,I never met him anywhere.He had never given me any money.
Q:Why did he tell lies against you?
A:We are coming to that.My lawyer had already written him.We are just waiting.I told you that why we are down playing on those things-the case of forgery and the case of this allegation of giving me money -is that he is planning to use those things for us to go to court and it will scuttle the refund of the money.I tell you, if tomorrow he signs this money to release to people.I tell you, the next day, we are going to court.Iam going to court with him personally as an individual and NLC is going to court with him also because he forged my signature about six times,collecting a total of 104million.He is going to pay for that.
Q:104 million Dollars?
A :Naira.Now let’s come back to this $1.4million he said he gave me.If you calculate it at that time,it is N240million.Not today’s rate.Now if you checked the total amount he even forged my signature, and withdrew,it’s N 104.Now where could he have gotten this N240million to give me? Is it out of the N104million he forged?Well whatever the case maybe, he has the burden to prove that he has given me.But I tell you on my honour, that person had never given me one dollar,not to talk of $1.4million ….…I have lodged complaint about what he is doing because my life is being threatened….
Q:NLC has issued a statementent urging government not to postpone the election but the transition process appears to be in danger as government is believed to be planning the general elections even after INEC has said repeatedly that it is ready…
A:,Going by what you said, if it is true that government is planning to postpone the election and the majority of the people are saying no, major individuals are saying no, and above all INEC itself is saying they are ready,I think if the reason for them to call for the postponement of the election is to prevent violence,perhaps inadvertently, they might also be provoking even more violence.because people might read a lot of meaning into it.
Q:postponement may provoke more violence?
Of course yes. Because you are talking about something that is to be done and everybody is planning towards it including the INEC and now government,as you said, government is now planning to postpone it.In the first place,that will amount to undermining the independence of INEC.If INEC is truly independent, they should be allowed to operate.The function of government is to ensure that the country is secured.But if it is based on security, then the correct thing should be done.It is not government that can postpone election,because there is constitutional provision that election must be conducted. For example,a new president must emerge either through reelection or election of another one 90 days before the last day of the existing regime which I suppose is going to be about 29th of May.Now if that is the case, when are we going to postpone it to.If we postpone this election, it might be for one or two weeks ,otherwise ,we are going to run into trouble and if we run into trouble ,who will take responsibility?Nobody can afford to breach the constitution blatantly.
Q:Is there any reason whatsoever for any postponement?
A:No ,as far as we are concerned , there is no reason.You said we (issued) a statement.There is no reason for this election to be postponed. What must be done , must be done in order to ensure that elections are carried out ..as fixed and planned.Anything short of that will only compound the problem of Nigeria ….
Q:..As a follow up to the alleged plan to postpone the election, there is the calculation too that Nigeria may end up with an interim national government.How will NLC respond to that kind of thing..?
A:Interim National Government is not part of the democratic Institutions we have elected to follow.It’s not in the constitution.So interim national government is just an accident,it cannot come by design.And we don’t pray for that kind of accident to come.So the only option is, allow election to take place so that there will be transition just as is required by the constitution of the Federal Republic….When you talk of interim national government,I don’t know how you intend to do it because there must be serious allegation. For example,everybody outside the government will accuse the government of transiting itself ,it’s only individuals that might change…Because for example they say let us set up and interim national government,do you expect the president to now go and pick somebody maybe from another party to make him the head of the government? Do you expect even the president to think of a neutral person who might not have sympathy to his own party to head the interim government? I think it is better to avoid certain things than to create more problems for Nigeria and Nigerians….
Q:There were fears that NLC was pushing to change the rules after the deadline as you go into the congress delegates’ meeting.Any attempt to change the rules?
A:(Laughs) NLC pushing to change the rules?No, not to my knowledge .You see, the rules are there ,they are spelt out clearly and we are following them to the letter .Nominations are opened and they are closed five weeks to the commencement of the conference.And that’s exactly what we did.We closed the nominations five weeks by the credential committee which is a statutory committee that is spelt out by the constitution.And we constituted that committee and they have done their work.What people are sayin is the issue of petitions.Petitions are raised by a number of unions and it is normal.Part of the powers of the delegates’ conference is also to entertain and resolve them and take decisions on them.So if anybody tells you that there was an attempt to change the rules,nobody has the powers to change the rules..That is the truth.
(Interview conducted last week before INEC announced decision to shift Nigeria’s general elections )
