Concerned Northern Forum supports Ajaero, knocks Arewa Youth Assembly over comment on presidential inauguration

Abass, however, called on Nigeria and the security agencies to disregard the “baseless and unfounded allegations” by Arewa Youth Assembly.

By Jeffrey Agbo

The Concerned Northern Forum has knocked Arewa Youth Assembly (AYA) over its allegations that the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, plans to stop the President-elect Bola Tinubu’s inauguration.

Deputy spokesperson of the forum, Comrade Mohammed Abbas, said at a press conference on Saturday that the current leadership of the NLC was duly elected at the recently held elective congress of the NLC by its members and not by politicians.

He said that NLC remained the only vibrant and cohesive labour union in the country, hence the last hope of the Nigerian worker and by extension, the common masses.

”We are here today to express our disappointment over the recent press conference organised by our sister association, the Arewa Youth Assembly (AYA).

”We watched with total dismay and disappointment the accusations and allegations made by AYA against the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, on his purported plot to stop the President-Elect’s inauguration.

”The Arewa Youth Assembly should stop and retract its baseless accusations and blackmail.

”We are particularly concerned that AYA would allow itself to be used for disunity and cheap blackmail by dragging the NLC into politics.

”It is important to note that the Nigeria Labour Congress is a pan-Nigerian organisation and cannot be governed by primordial sentiments such as religion and ethnicity,” the group said.

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Abbas emphasised that the NLC being a pressure group had invited all other presidential aspirants and the president-elect to its May Day (Labour Day) celebration.

He added that President Muhammadu Buhari was also invited, who then sent the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, to the occasion, condemning AYA allegation on the NLC president for refusal to invite the president-elect

”We want to state unequivocally that we have no knowledge of any plans by the NLC to scuttle the inauguration of the President-elect, Senator Bola Tinubu, on May 29.

”As a peaceful and law-abiding organisation, we would not support any action that is capable of disrupting the peace and stability of our dear nation in whatever guise.

”Mr Ajaero is a refined and dogged activist of note whose loyalty to the NLC and the nation is undoubted. He is a promoter and firm believer in democracy and the principle of separation of power and shouldn’t be dragged or accused of any separatist or ethnic agenda,” he said.

Abass, however, called on Nigeria and the security agencies to disregard the baseless and unfounded allegations by Arewa Youth Assembly as Nigerians remained resolute and committed to the peace and unity of Nigeria.