The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, has warned the organised Labour to resist the urge to dabble into politics.
The minister spoke in the light of Labour shutdown of flights to Imo state from airports across the country.
The unions stopped all flights from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, NAIA, yesterday to the chargrin of many air travelers.
The Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC and Trade Union Congress, TUC, reacted to the assault on Joe Ajaero, NLC President in Oweerri last week, allegedly by some officers of the Nigerian Police Force.
Not a few Nigerians have criticized the assault on Ajaero, but the incident, others insist should not be used as a collective punishment for Nigerian, particularly air travelers.
Speaking on Thursday at the opening of a retreat for the Minister, Permanent Secretary, Directors and Head of Agencies of the Aviation Ministry, in Effurun, Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State, the minister accused Labour of allowing itself to be used by politicians.
Keyamo described NLC and TUC as hirelings for an unnamed political parties, vowing to “fight back” if Labour would not desist from bringing “politics to aviation.
He said the Aviation Ministry was not involved in the physical assault on Ajaero, adding that his ministry should not be turned to a battleground.
He warned Labour that politicising the movement will destroy it, stressing that
“You cannot target aviation in trying to address your grievances.’’
Keyamo, who spoke at the opening of a retreat for the Minister, Permanent Secretary, Directors and Head of Agencies of the Aviation Ministry, in Effurun, Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State, pointed out that the “Aviation (sector) was not involved at all; but their target is aviation.
The minister said, “I pray and I’m talking directly to them: Do not allow the Labour Party to destroy the labour movement. I repeat, do not allow the Labour Party and politics to destroy the labour movement.
“Call your leadership to order. Don’t get sucked into politics. It will destroy the labour movement. They cannot be hirelings in the Labour Party and they used them at their will. That’s why you see that the labour movement does not control the policies of the Labour Party.
“I, as aviation minister, will not allow that target on aviation. They should not target aviation. If they do that, I will fight back and they should not bring politics to aviation. I’m grounded in this. I have been with them all over the years but they cannot deceive me.
“What they are doing is politics. It’s not labour movement, it’s politics. You cannot use that platform to go and support a party different from my party when you’re fighting back. You say it’s labour movement. No, it’s not. You should be ready for the consequences if you play politics”.
Meanwhile, not a few Nigerians watching what’s happening insist that Labour paralyses of flight to Imo is targeted to disrupt the November 11, governorship election.
The state is among the three states where the Independent National Electoral Commission, is conducting off-season governorship elections this weekend.
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