The Osun State Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Christopher Arapasopo, has dismissed allegations that the N20,000 palliative recently paid to civil servants by the state government was aimed at buying their votes.
Arapasopo said the payment followed a request made by organised labour to Governor Ademola Adeleke in April for palliatives to cushion the effects of the economic hardship on workers and pensioners in the state.
The NLC chairman spoke yesterday after a mini congress of organised labour comprising workers and pensioners held at the Osun State Secretariat, Abere, Osogbo.
The congress was convened to brief workers and the public on developments in the state, particularly the political situation and alleged intimidation ahead of Saturday’s governorship election.
Arapasopo said labour had written to Adeleke on April 8 requesting N20,000 palliative for each worker and pensioner, explaining that the request was made to cushion the impact of the economic hardship on workers.
According to him, during a subsequent meeting with the governor in July, the state government cited financial constraints and offered N10,000 each to workers and pensioners.
He said labour accepted the offer and also requested that payments covering June and July be made.
Arapasopo said: ‘We saw on social media that the All Progressives Congress (APC) is saying the governor is trying to buy it. They tagged it vote buying. But, they didn’t know that labour leaders were the ones that requested palliatives for workers to cushion the effects of economic troubles in the country, of which Osun State is not exceptional.’
He therefore appealed to President Bola Tinubu, as the leader of the country and ‘father of Osun State’, to call members of the APC in the state to order and ensure that the election was not turned into a war.
The NLC chairman said workers, pensioners and other residents of the state had the constitutional right to vote for candidates of their choice without intimidation or harassment.
Similarly, the State Chairman of the Joint Negotiation Council (JNC), Comrade Olamilekan Adediran, urged civil servants, pensioners and other residents to participate in the election peacefully and vote for candidates of their choice.