News
CIA was funding labour union when I took over govt -Obasanjo
- /home/naijuinz/public_html/wp-content/plugins/mvp-social-buttons/mvp-social-buttons.php on line 27
https://naijablitznews.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Olusegun-Obasanjo-1000x600.jpg&description=CIA was funding labour union when I took over govt -Obasanjo', 'pinterestShare', 'width=750,height=350'); return false;" title="Pin This Post">
- Share
- Tweet /home/naijuinz/public_html/wp-content/plugins/mvp-social-buttons/mvp-social-buttons.php on line 72
https://naijablitznews.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Olusegun-Obasanjo-1000x600.jpg&description=CIA was funding labour union when I took over govt -Obasanjo', 'pinterestShare', 'width=750,height=350'); return false;" title="Pin This Post">
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, on Wednesday said when he took over government, a faction of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) was being funded by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).
Obasanjo was a military head of state and civilian president of Nigeria between 1999 and 2007.
He said this former his decision to reform Nigeria’s labour movement so as to create an independent and nationally-controlled workers’ union.
He recalled that prior to the reforms, the country’s two dominant labour centres were allegedly receiving funding from foreign intelligence agencies, beginning from the Cold War era.
Obasanjo stated this at Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja, venue of the 85th birthday celebration and book presentation in honour of a former President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Hassan Summonu.
According to him, one of the unions was backed by the Soviet-era KGB, while the other received support from the CIA.
Obasanjo said this situation prompted him to initiate reforms aimed at establishing a single Nigerian labour movement that would be organised, funded, and controlled internally.
“I have a few stories to tell about him, which I believe I should tell, because I may not have any other occasion to tell it. Hassan, do you remember, when Goodluck was leading one of the two major labour unions?
“These two labour organisations are Nigerian labour organisations, but they were not being financed or funded by Nigeria. I don’t know if you know that, but that was the reality.
“One was being financed by KGB. That is the truth. And the other one was being financed by CIA. I think Hassan belonged to the one being financed by KGB.
“And then I came on the scene. I needed for Nigeria, a Nigerian labour union, organised by Nigeria, controlled by Nigeria, financed by Nigeria. So I decided there was going to be a labour union reform. And I think the man I put in charge is Justice Adebiyi,” he said.
He explained that Justice Adebiyi was appointed to lead the reform process, which ultimately resulted in the establishment of the Nigeria Labour Congress as the unified national labour body.
Following the creation of the congress, Summonu became its first elected leader.
“And Hassan was one of those who was in the forefront to ask, what do I know about labour that I’m asking for reform? What is my business? And of course, I don’t know anything about labour, but I know that I wanted a Nigerian labour organisation organised by Nigeria, headed by Nigeria, and funded by Nigeria.
“And Justice Adebiyi finished his job and we reformed the labour without government’s hand, they elected their leader. And Hassan became the first leader they elected. I don’t know how Hassan felt at that time, but I felt comfortable,” Obasanjo said.
The former President noted that the relationship between the government and the labour movement improved under the new structure, while maintaining the union’s independence.
He praised Summonu for strengthening labour leadership in Nigeria and expanding its influence across Africa and globally.
The former president also revealed that he wrote the foreword to Summonu’s new book, in which he highlighted the labour leader’s contributions to national development.
The Accord Party has defeated the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the polling unit of former Osun Deputy Governor and ex-APC National Secretary, Senator Iyiola Omisore, in the ongoing Osun State governorship election.
According to results uploaded to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Result Viewing Portal (IReV), Accord secured 131 votes at Polling Unit 003, Ife Ward 1 (Moore), St. Gabriel Primary School, in Ife East Local Government Area.
The APC polled 85 votes to finish second, while the African Democratic Congress (ADC) recorded 10 votes. Other political parties obtained marginal votes at the polling unit.
The result adds to a series of early victories recorded by the Accord Party as INEC continues the uploading and collation of results across the state.
Earlier, Accord also won at the polling unit of former Osun Governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, in Okuku, Odo-Otin Local Government Area.
The result sheet uploaded on the IReV portal showed Accord polling 125 votes, ahead of the APC, which recorded 85 votes. The ADC secured five votes.
Meanwhile, INEC has continued to upload results from polling units across Osun State as the governorship election moves into the collation stage.
Voters across the state’s 30 local government areas cast their ballots on Saturday to elect a governor for the next four years.
The major contenders in the election include the incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party, APC candidate Bola Oyebamiji, and African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate Najeem Salaam.
The Accord Party has won the governorship election at the polling unit of former Osun State Governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, in Okuku, Odo-Otin Local Government Area of the state.
According to the result sheet uploaded to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) IReV portal, Accord polled 125 votes to emerge victorious at the polling unit.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) came second with 85 votes, while the African Democratic Congress (ADC) secured five votes.
The African Action Congress (AAC) scored two votes, while the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Young Progressive Party (YPP) and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) each recorded one vote.
Other parties, including the AA, ADP, APGA, APM, APP, BP, NNPP and PRP, recorded no votes.
The result sheet showed that 228 voters were accredited, with 220 valid votes cast and eight rejected ballots.
The election was conducted at Court Hall I, Okuku, in Odo-Otin Local Government Area.
The result comes against the backdrop of Oyinlola’s reported endorsement of the APC governorship candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, ahead of the election.
Oyinlola, who governed Osun State from 2003 to 2010, had publicly backed Oyebamiji despite the APC candidate running against incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke.
The outcome at Oyinlola’s polling unit therefore puts the Accord Party ahead of the APC, with Adeleke’s party failing to secure the unit despite the incumbent governor’s participation in the election.
Voting was disrupted in Ejigbo, Osun State, after violence broke out at a polling unit during the ongoing Osun State Governorship election.
It was gathered that voters, residents and officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) fled the polling unit as tension escalated around the area.
According to Channels TV, people were seen running in different directions while motorcycles and vehicles moved through the area as residents attempted to escape the unfolding situation.
The immediate cause of the violence was not clear, as the chaos temporarily halted the ongoing electoral process.
The incident comes as voters come out in their numbers to partake in governorship election amid tight security.
Osun Election: Accord Defeats APC in Omisore’s Polling Unit
Osun election: Oyinlola Loses Polling Unit to Accord Party
Osun election: INEC officials take to their heels as violence erupts in Ejigbo
-
News24 hours agoUS missionary kidnapped in Niger released after nine months in captivity
-
News24 hours agoAdeleke camp condemns release of APC Assembly candidate allegedly found with gun
-
News24 hours agoASUU decries unpaid 2022 salaries, demands education review
-
News23 hours agoOsun 2026: Davido fires back at critics, says ‘I’ll be on ground before 7am’
-
News24 hours ago2027: Atiku asks court to disqualify Tinubu over names, certificate controversy
-
News23 hours agoCourt remands ex-NBA chairman in DSS custody
-
Metro23 hours agoBandits abduct 14 passengers travelling from Enugu to Abuja
-
News18 hours agoOsun decides: Ahead today’s poll, police dogs deployed to combat thugs