A pro-Biafra group, Biafra Provisional Government, has condemned the ongoing power blackout in Imo State resulting from the clash between organized labour and the operatives of the state police command.

The total blackout was imposed on the state capital and beyond by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and their counterpart the Trade Union Congress (TUC) following an alleged attack on NLC’s Joe Ajaero by some security personnel in the state.

The group also accused the national president of NLC, Mr. Joe Ajaero of using the ongoing power blackout in the state to gain cheap popularity and cause disaffection between the state government and the people of the state.

The president of Biafra’s Provisional Government, Dr. Chile Nwoko, who spoke to newsmen in Owerri on Thursday, expressed shock at the punishment, sufferings, and hardship the decisions of the labour unions were bringing on the hapless people of the state.

While praying for the quick recovery of Mr. Ajaero from the injuries he sustained, Dr. Nwoko also accused him of attempting to use the blackout to cast aspersion on the people of Imo state by bringing the hardship on them.

His words: “What message is Mr. Ajaero passing across to Imo masses. Is it to cause disaffection between the people and the state government while he is indirectly destroying them and their livelihood?

“We’re still wondering what Mr. Ajaero intends to gain. Cheap popularity? Bearing in mind that hospitality industry is the backbone of economy in Owerri, with the crushing cost of Diesel and gasoline, how will the hotels survive, and how do they pay their workers salaries”.

He lamented that by shutting down power supply, Ndigbo were now degenerating into contributing to their own sufferings in some percentage, after years of cries of marginalisation.

“This is baffling, not only to many who love the Igbo race, but their friends outside Igbo land”, Nwoko said.

Dr. Nwoko lamented that every Monday, businesses were closed due to the order by IPOB, and now comes Mr. Ajaero and his group inflicting more pains and losses to the people and the state. He expressed that it is unpatriotic of Mr. Ajaero.

“It is really painful that people are bringing businesses and development to their states to create jobs for the youths while Joe Ajaero is importing hardship on the state he claims he comes from. It is a shame.

“Shame on Mr. Ajaero and his Labour Congress. Let him and his Labour Union go to Lagos state where the state government is demolishing people’s properties without compensation.

“Let him call for industrial action in Lagos state which was developed by the general wealth of Nigeria because it was once the capital City of Nigeria which made people from different axis of Nigeria to settle there but are now being driven away through Xenophobia. He should take his men to Lagos and not Imo State.”
[ad unit=2]