Oyo State government and the state chapters of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) may be set for a showdown today, as Governor Seyi Makinde has directed security agencies to ensure that workers return to their various duty posts following the continuous protests declared last week by the unions.

The governor, while reeling out his modalities to alleviate the effects of fuel subsidy removal, which he titled: “Sustainable Action for Economic Recovery (SafER),” frowned on the protesting unions’ action of not allowing workers to gain entrance into the secretariat to perform their duties.

Makinde said the NLC and TUC should understand that where their fundamental human rights end, the rights of others begin. He said the protesting unions do not have the legal and fundamental rights to stop civil servants from resuming work at the state secretariat.

While ordering workers to resume work, the governor directed the state security apparatus to ensure that workers are at their duty posts today. He, however, said his administration was open to parley with labour unions to ensure that the rights of Oyo State workers are protected, just as he encouraged union leaders to return to the negotiating table to discuss any increase in salary or possible harmonisation of pension payments.

MEANWHILE, human rights lawyer, Dr. Femi Aborisade, said the governor missed it all by trying to intimidate protesting workers, who are only fighting and demanding for their rights within the ambience of the Constitution.

Aborisade said the unions could picket any organisation as long as their protest is peaceful and in accordance with the law.

ALSO, Oyo State Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Olawale Sadare, said: “Makinde is gradually turning himself into a despot in Oyo. We saw this coming and that’s the reason we warned workers not to support his re-election. The governor has no right to direct the security apparatus to intervene since it has been a peaceful protest.”

HOWEVER, when contacted, Secretary of the NLC in Oyo State, Ibrahim Mohammed, said both the TUC and NLC were holding a joint meeting and would issue a statement to make their stance known. He said: “We are at a meeting now, both the NLC and TUC. It is a joint meeting. We will make our stance known after the meeting.”