The Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese and Convener of the National Peace Committee, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, has sued for peace in Imo State, calling on the Joe Ajaero’s Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC to thread with caution.
Speaking during an interview on Channels TV Sunrise Daily Programme on Wednesday, Bishop Kukah sued for peace on the current face-off between the labour leadership in the country and the Imo state government.
He said that all parties and stakeholders concerned should ceasefire allow peaceful elections in the State.
He urged the organised labour to explore a peaceful resolution to the conflict, saying that Nigerians are of the common belief that those contesting are their sons and daughters and that whatever we do, in conscience, Nigerians must always think about the common good.
He advised that civil society organisations, unions, and churches with a bit of moral authority must always act in the common interest of everybody, pointing out that without a country, there will be no trade union, as all that is needed to be done is to look outside the window and see what is happening in the Middle East today, specifically in Israel and Gaza.
According to him, when elections go wrong, it is ordinary people who suffer and he hoped that the labour leaders in Imo would really be more circumspect and ask themselves, ‘Who stands to gain and who stands to lose what?’ believing that, at the end of the day, it is the people of Imo, who are not electing someone who is outside their state.
Bishop Kukah noted that Imo is a deeply Christian environment and hoped their religious leaders and others with moral authority could prevail on the union to defer whatever their grievance may be, saying that it can only be resolved in a peaceful environment.
He urged the police and other relevant agencies to ensure security during the governorship elections in the three states. According to him, people’s welfare and well-being cannot be sacrificed on the altar of personal or group interests.