Textile workers lambast Oshiomhole, APC over N42m presidential nomination form

The National Union of Textile Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria (NUTGTWN) has lambasted its former General Secretary and President of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, for presiding over a political party that forced a presidential candidate to cough out a whopping N42 million for a nomination; and N25 million for a governor.

The NUTGTWN used its 31st Annual National Education Conference which held in Abuja, with a theme: “Labour and Industry in the next level,” to vent its anger on the Chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC).

In his speech, the General Secretary of NUTGTWN, Comrade Issa Aremu, also a gubernatorial candidate of Labour Party during the last general election in Kwara State, lambasted his predecessor, Comrade Oshiomhole for presiding over a national political party, the All Progressive Congress (APC) that came up with such decision.

Comrade Aremu pointed out that he personally told Oshiomhole of his discontentment to the fact that he would be a chairman of a political party that would put in place such anti-people and anti-workers conditions.

He wondered how a worker placed on a minimum wage of N18,000 and relying on his salary could gather such amount to aspire to become a president of the country or a governor of a state.

The NUTGTWN scribe said: “I told Oshiomhole saying: how can you preside over a political party in which nomination forms to contest for the presidency are sold for N42 million. How can you preside over a party in which to run for governor, you have to pay N25 million.”

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He stated that from day one, “it is obvious that a worker relying on his salary cannot aspire to become a president or governor of this country.”

Comrade Oshiomhole handed over to Comrade Aremu, as the general secretary of NUTGTWN after becoming the president of NLC. He went on to become the governor of Edo State before becoming the national chairman of the ruling APC.

Comrade Aremu, therefore, pointed out that for the country to make genuine progress in her democratic journey, there must be some quality control to make the democratic process more inclusive.

On the issue of $9.1 billion PI&D contract, Comrade Aremu said the organised labour was in support of the Federal Government not to pay that money because it is very dubious.

He said: “I will not end my speech without commenting on the $9.1 billion PI&D contract scandal in which some people colluded with a foreign firm to rip off the country. I think the organised labour is in support of the Federal Government not to pay that money because it is a dubious investment meant to rip off the country and for some persons to reap where they did not sow.

“We advise the government to engage the citizens more because if you follow the rule of law as advocated by America and Europe, we may be in trouble. We cannot condemn all those foreigners behind the deal without condemning their Nigerian collaborators and I want to tell the Federal Government that all those Nigerians that colluded to rip off the country should be apprehended and prosecuted.”