Northern youths under the auspices of Arewa Youths Assembly (AYA) have asked the inspector general of police and the director-general of the Directorate of State Services (DSS) to order the immediate arrest of the president of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Joe Ajaero, over alleged plans to scuttle the inauguration of President-elect Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Addressing a press conference at Arewa House, Kaduna, yesterday, spokesman of the group, Ali Muhammad, accused Ajaero of working with the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) to actualise the presidential bid of Peter Obi of Labour Patty (LP) and not Tinubu who was declared winner of the election.
The NLC president has, however, dismissed the allegation, describing it as cheap blackmail.
In their petition, the Arewa youths also accused Comrade Ajaero of using the NLC as a platform to promote the Biafra agenda and to indulge in corruption.
"We also accuse him of corruption; he and his secretary-general received one bullet proof SUV car each worth N1 billion to sabotage the planned workers' strike against the cashless policy of the apex bank.
"We regret that this is the first time in the history of NLC that two people from one ethnic group are occupying the office of president (Joe Ajaero from Imo State and secretary-general, Emmanuel Ugboaja from Abia) at the same time, hence it is easy for them to prosecute the Biafra agenda
"In the petition, we have drawn the attention of the security agencies to open threats by Ajaero to scuttle the inauguration of President-elect, Alhaji Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Another important issue is, apart from threatening the judges handling the election petition tribunal, Ajaero has gone ahead to sabotage institutions of state in the name of strikes," Muhammad said.
The AYA claimed that "Ajaero showed his ethnic card by inviting Peter Obi to the last May Day celebration in Abuja without extending same to the leadership of other political parties and even the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria who is the number one labourer of the nation.
"We regret that Ajaero is using the Igbo dominated NLC to sabotage the economy of the country in the guise of strikes.
"The disruption of flights to Imo State on Wednesday where an airline reportedly lost N700m is only a rehearsal of what Ajaero and IPOB plan to do to Nigeria's economy ahead of Tinubu's inauguration.
"The invasion of Lagos and Imo Airports by IPOB fundamentalists masquerading as NLC is only but the beginning of what Ajaero is hatching to stop Tinubu from taking oath of office on May 29", they said.
It's Cheap Blackmail, NLC President Replies
Meanwhile, Ajaero has denied any plan to scuttle the inauguration of Tinubu.
In a short response to LEADERSHIP inquiry, Ajaero described the northern youths' allegation as cheap blackmail.
"How is he (Ajaero) working with IPOB. Cheap blackmail. Is he (Ajaero) working with IPOB for the strike in Owerri?" he asked.
Military Warns Politicians Against Scuttling Transition
Meanwhile, the Military High Command has again warned those who may be planning to scuttle May 29 handing over from President Muhammadu Buhari to Bola Tinubu to shelve the idea.
It also hinted at the setting up a board of inquiry to investigate the allegations against its sector commander, Operation Safe Haven, by the Atyap people under the auspices of Atyap Community Development Association (ACDA) in Zangon Kataf local government area of Kaduna State.
At a briefing in Abuja yesterday, the director, defence media operations, Major General Musa Danmadami, said the military had not seen reasons why the inauguration of the president-elect will not hold, noting that the police and other security agencies are working hand-in-hand to neutralise any threat.
He said military officers are always on standby to forestall any undesirable happenings in the country before, during and after the transition billed to hold at the end of the month.
"As far as internal security is concerned, the police still remain the lead agency. The armed forces and other security operatives are only playing a supportive role. I will reiterate that we are on standby to make sure that nothing unwanted happens.
"The issue of threat to the security and stability of the country is addressed promptly. Elections have come and gone. For the presidential election, a winner has been announced. There is a transition committee in place comprising all members of the security agencies, ministries and agencies of government to make sure the event is held successfully and without a glitch.
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"We don't see reasons why there should be a problem during the activity. The inauguration will come and go and nothing will happen. We are not going to relent at ensuring there is peace and stability across the length and breadth of the country," the senior military officer said
LEADERSHIP recalls that the Atyap people under the auspices of Atyap Community Development Association (ACDA) had faulted the security report on the recent killings in the area by the sector commander of Operation Safe Haven in Southern Kaduna, Brigadier General Timothy Opurum, saying his report was biased, lopsided, unbalanced and misleading.
The group, therefore, called for his removal from the state.
But while fielding questions from journalists shortly after the bi-weekly press briefing, General Danmadami said the military was a national organisation which is always ready to help.
He urged residents of the state to detach the military from any form of sentiment, adding that any matter reported to the high command against any of its personnel will be thoroughly investigated.
