Comrade Issa Aremu ,Vice President, Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC who is also General Secretary, National Union Of Textile & Garment Workers has taken a swipe at the attacks directed at Governors Adams Oshiomhole of Edo state and Rauf Aregbesola of Osun state.The comrade urged Nigerian politicians to embark upon a contest of ideas instead of hauling attacks on persons.This call was made today by Aremu, in his statement condemning the recent attacks on Governors Oshiomhole and Aregbesola.In the his statement titled : “Attack On Comrade Oshionhole; We Must De-Militarize Our Polity” he said “Politicians must learn to contest ideas and policies and not persons. Nigeria needs genuine and committed politicians and not ‘Militicians’. There is the urgent need to demilitarize our polity.”
The secretary general of textile workers’ union urged “all political actors to play to the rule. We need battle of ideas and not personal attacks. Attack on any one on the basis of one’s political affiliation is an attack on all Nigerians and must be resisted.”His statement comes on the heels of accident involving the governor’s convoy.Three journalists were killed in the crash.
Aremu condemned and expressed shock over “an unprovoked seeming orchestrated attack on Comrade Governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole”.Comrade Adams Oshiomhole’s convoy was attacked at the weekend along the Warrake–Auchi road. Three journalists were reported killed with many others injured including security details.
He described what happened as a case in which “a suicidal lorry deliberately veered off its track, faced the governor’s staff car and missed it by the whiskers. It later rammed into the vehicle conveying the security details and the bus conveying Government House press crew. “Aremu added that, “This tragic event came after a similar cyber- orchestrated criminal personal attack and even open threat on Governor Oshiomhole by the opposition political party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over his so-called mansions.
“We condemn personalisation of political discourse. We need contestation on policies and issues rather than attack on persons.On issues, it is common knowledge that Comrade Adams Oshiomhole since assumption of office as Governor of Edo State has tried to re-invent Edo State particularly in areas of education, health, infrastructural development, roads and rural development. The attack on the governor is certainly unwarranted and diversionary”,said the comrade
In a related development,he said , there was also alleged threat by former chairman, Senate Committee on Appropriation, Senator Iyiola Omisore, to “attack, stop and disarm” the convoy of the Governor of Osun State, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola. All these call for urgent and thorough investigation by the security agencies.
According to the NLC vice president ,the point cannot be over-emphasized; politicians must learn to contest ideas and policies and not persons. Nigeria needs genuine and committed politicians and not ‘Militicians’. There is the urgent need to demilitarize our polity.
“We call on all political actors to play to the rule. We need battle of ideas and not personal attacks. Attack on any one on the basis of one’s political affiliation is an attack on all Nigerians and must be resisted.
“We convey our heartfelt sympathy to the Governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and the families of the journalists who lost their lives in the unfortunate incident. We also register our solidarity with the Governor of Osun State, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola.
