NLC: We are for Rule of Law, We Don’t Criminalise People

The National President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Ayuba Wabba, has denied a story credited to the labour body that the President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki, should resign from office because of his trial by the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).

Wabba told journalists in Abuja that the NLC, though fighting corruption, believes in the rule of law.

According to the NLC President, as a law abiding institution, the labour movement believes in the rule of law and due process.

Logo of Nigeria Labour Congress

He said: “The NLC believes in the rule of law and we believe that whatever is right should be done. By our laws, the mere alleging that somebody has committed an offense, by our laws we don’t judge the person as guilty as pronounced by a court of law.

“To me that would be following due process and the rule of law than to midway begin to make pronouncement and criminalise people. I think what is right should be done rightly.

“I think those statements cannot be credited to us. You can consult the people that have issued those statements but certainly they are not from us. We believe in due process, we believe in the rule of law.

“We are championing the war against corruption, we also believe that we should follow due process in whatever we want to do. People should not be stampeded into making pronouncements on behalf of the NLC,” he said.

The NLC president said the labour movement has well defined channels of making public comments on national issues, while also stating that the person who purportedly spoke on behalf of the union is not known to the NLC.