Human Rights activist, Femi Falana, has mocked the Executive Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, for declaring the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Ayuba Wabba, and other labour leaders wanted over their role in the ongoing warning strike action in the state.
The labour started a five-day warning strike recently to protest the sack of some local government staff by the state government.
However, on the second day of the strike, El-Rufai declared Wabba and other labour leaders wanted for leading a protest and stalling economic activities in the state.
In his reaction to El-Rufai’s declaration in a statement, Falana said it was funny that the governor of a state could declare the labour leaders wanted for staging a peaceful protest against injustice meted on the workers.
According to him, the governor’s action contravened the provisions of the Miscellaneous Offences Act.
The statement read: “The declaration is laughable as it is common knowledge that Comrade Wabba and his colleagues are on the streets of Kaduna leading the peaceful protests embarked upon by the entire workers in the state since yesterday (Monday).
“The order of the governor cannot be enforced for the following reasons:
“By the combined effect of the Trade Union Act and the Nigerian Constitution, Comrade Wabba and other labour leaders have the unquestionable rights to participate in the peaceful warning strike and mass protests against further retrenchment of workers in the Kaduna State public service.
“The Miscellaneous Offences Act is not a state statute but a federal enactment. To that extent, if Governor El-Rufai has evidence that Comrade Wabba and other labour leaders have contravened any provisions of the Act, he is required to lodge a complaint in any of the police stations in Kaduna State.
“The governor lacks the power to declare any alleged offender wanted under the Act or any other law whatsoever.”
Falana, therefore, urged the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies to disregard El-Rufai’s declaration as it is not acceptable by law.
