Campaign for Democratic and Workers’ Rights (CDWR) has called for immediate stop to the prosecution of Chairman, Social Party of Nigeria (SPN), Abiodun Bamigboye (popularly known as Abbey Trotsky) by the Oyo State Police Commissioner. Recall that Bamigboye supported the 2018 struggle by casual workers for decent pay and conditions at Sumal Food.
In a statement signed by National Chairperson, Rufus Olusesan, and National Publicity Secretary, Chinedu Bosah, CDWR lamented that Bamigboye has suffered a series of harassment, including arrest and detention by the police and the Department of State Services (DSS).
It described the alleged intimidation of Bamigboye by security operatives in Oyo as an attempt to cover up workers’ maltreatment. The group lamented that the SPN boss had been arrested eight times by the police and DSS between December 19, 2018 and June 9, 2019.
It said: “He was later forced to report weekly at the office of the AIG Zone 11 Osogbo, Osun State, between May 28 and June 7, 2019, after which he was arraigned at Iyaganku Magistrate’s Court on June 7, 2019, first on a four-count criminal charges. Later, this increased to an eight-count charge.
“The motive behind the continuous prosecution of Abbey Trotsky is an attempt to make a scapegoat of him, deter other members of CDWR from intervening in the plight of poor casual workers, and strike fear into the hearts of casual workers across workplaces in the state and the country at large.
“This is more so because a new minimum wage, which will be due for upward review in the first quarter of 2024, could trigger a fresh round of agitation for pay rise among workers across the country.”
CDWR called on the national leadership of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) to join in demanding an end to the prosecution of Bamigboye and commence a national campaign against casualisation and other unfair labour practices.
