The crocodile tears of Oshiomhole, By Ahmed Aminu-Ramatu Yusuf 

Edo North Senator, Adams Oshiomhole, spoke ferociously in opposition to the 11-year electrical energy sector privatisation. He characterised it as “extra of a catastrophe” and “a failure” as a result of it has imposed “undue monetary burdens on Nigerians”, made Nigerians to “undergo”, and be “helpless”! He gave examples of the corrupt and exploitative practices of the electrical energy distribution firms (DisCos) 

Oshiomhole’s criticism is so as. However, he deserves no praise for he was complicit in imposing this example on Nigerians. First, Oshiomhole’s criticism was probably the most elementary critique that the Nationwide Union of Electrical energy Staff (NUEE), Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), and their allies within the college students {and professional} actions made all through the Nineteen Eighties and Nineteen Nineties in opposition to the strikes to privatise electrical energy. 

That they had argued that the privatisation of electrical energy would result in mass job losses as a result of the society relied closely on it, and wanted it to be accessible, accessible and reasonably priced. They argued that the first goal of the privatisation was neither service nor improvement of the sector, however exploitation and profit-making. 

They identified that below no circumstance ought to state monopoly get replaced by personal monopoly, whose chief concern is to primitively accumulate capital, greedily harvest income the place they didn’t labour, and shamelessly plunder the huge properties, together with lands, homes, gear, amenities, and automobiles scattered throughout the nation of the Nigeria Electrical energy Energy Authority (NEPA). 

They posited that state actors would promote the sector to themselves, their household relations, mates, or/and cronies. This, they argued, would enhance the price of doing enterprise, develop inflation, result in de-industrialisation, worsen peoples’ circumstances, and additional underdevelop Nigeria. Moreover, they famous, Nigeria lacked the regulatory capability to self-discipline the personal sector in the occasion of abuse and failure. 

The NLC and its allies didn’t solely criticise electrical energy privatisation, in addition they publicly protested in opposition to it. College students, from the mid-Nineteen Eighties to mid-Nineteen Nineties, organised, mobilised and led artisans, merchants, the unemployed, lumpen parts, and staff, in opposition to privatisation in its totality. A few of them have been kidnapped, illegally detained and imprisoned, and bodily maimed by the police and army.

The NUEE equally argued that electrical energy is just too important a enterprise to be left to the personal sector, as it’s the propeller of modernisation, industrialisation, and improvement. It posited that authorities ought to somewhat be involved with electrifying all the federation, which is just 30 per cent electrified. The employees additionally argued that Nigerians, no matter any divide, are entitled to reasonably priced electrical energy. 

They identified that successive governments failed NEPA, as they progressively underfunded electrical energy, ceaselessly and unnecessarily interfered in its operational and monetary affairs, and usually imposed extremely inexperienced and unqualified folks to run its affairs. In addition they identified that authorities institutions, particularly State Homes, in addition to army and different safety institutions, didn’t pay their electrical energy payments. 

NUEE added that NEPA performed a progressive position in nation’s all-round improvement. A part of NEPA’s successes, they identified, was that it efficiently related all the facility stations and substations within the nation by a community to the nationwide grid; rolled out a complete of 11,000 kilometres of transmission line all through the nation; put in and distributed transformers and related amenities for even distribution of electrical energy all through our nation; and strived to offer common electrical energy provide to educational establishments, hospitals, safety companies, industries, media homes, and different financial energy homes, amongst others. 

When in 1988 the electrical energy senior workers, out of frustration with the federal government abandonment of the sector and refusal to hold out even fundamental upkeep, went on strike, authorities kidnapped eleven of their leaders. These patriots have been hauled earlier than the Army Tribunal in Jos, and sentenced to loss of life! It was the extreme nationwide and worldwide campaigns that stopped the Babangida army regime from executing them. However they have been incarcerated in Kaduna Prisons. 

The NLC had additionally suffered from army persecution. In March 1988, its management headed by Ali Chiroma was proscribed. A personnel administrator of John Holt Group – a subsidiary of the multinational Lonrho – Chief Michael Ogunkoya, was appointed to “restructure” NLC! The “restructured” NLC was handed over to fissiparous and cantankerous labour leaders. First to Paschal Bafyau, after which Oshiomhole himself.

Each males as NLC President and Deputy President, opposite to the motion’s philosophy, coverage, and the views of rank-and-file staff, compromised staff’ positions and struggles in opposition to privatisation. They dragged the NLC into the Nationwide Council on Privatisation (NCP), charged with the privatisation of state-owned enterprises! 

Oshiomhole’s lively participation and inglorious membership of the NCP noticed the extraordinary looting of our collective assets, the plundering of our commonwealth by authorities officers and their cronies, and the unprecedented retrenchment of staff, most of who weren’t paid their entitlements. 

Over time, the NLC itself significantly suffered, as its public respect considerably diminished. It turned industrially tattered, politically battered, and its picture tarnished. Its management turned divided, and rank-and-file shattered. Calamities which NLC is simply recovering from starting 2023.

Oshiomhole campaigned for the failed transformation of Normal Sani Abacha from a vicious army dictator to a civilian president. As NLC President, he shamelessly supported President Olusegun Obasanjo’s determined makes an attempt to subvert the 1999 Structure and purchase a third-term presidency.  

Oshiomhole was within the forefront in registering Labour Get together, however, in contesting the Edo State Governorship election, he hopped to the All Nigeria Peoples Get together, then the Motion Congress/Motion Congress of Nigeria. He ran to the Peoples’ Democratic Get together to search for Governorship ticket. When refused, he vilified Chief Tony Anenih, accusing him of “godfatherism”. Sarcastically, his makes an attempt to change into the “godfather” of Edo politics was resisted by the Governor he put in, Edo political gladiators, and the citizens. ] 

As Governor of Edo State, Oshiomhole pressured NLC to assist electrical energy privatisation, as a result of: “Nigeria is on the threshold of whole financial collapse and positively the nation can’t proceed with enterprise as common”. He allayed fears that the privatisation would end in job losses, as: “industries (will come) again to life” and, “jobs within the sector can be greater than double.” 

Equally, as governor, Oshiomhole, in keeping with Kunle Wizeman Ajayi, performed: “the biggest casualization of the work power by any state authorities up to now. Greater than 50,000 staff, employed by way of the Youth Employment Scheme (YES) in 2009, have been sacked in 2015 when Oshiomhole claimed on tv that he “picked them” from the “gutters”.” He additionally violently prevented Edo staff from embarking on strike. 

As Nationwide Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) Oshiomhole tirelessly used the renegade labour leaders he had planted: “to make sure that common strikes are nearly forbidden below the strong-handed rule of the APC.”

So, does Oshiomhole’s submission within the Senate, that: “the ill-conceived, ill-executed privatisation” be radically reviewed “consistent with a brand new agenda of Mr. President”, aimed on the revocation of the privatisation and its award to themselves, their kids and their cronies have a hoop of sincerity? 

Why is he not demanding for a radical investigation of electrical energy privatisation by respectable and politically non-partisan Nigerians? Why did he not increase the non-payment of the privatised electrical energy staff’ entitlements? 

Let Nigerians critically replicate why Oshiomhole is shedding crocodile tears on the electrical energy privatisation, which he fought for and over which he had irreconcilable variations with Valuable Kiri-Kalio, his Deputy President, within the NLC. 

Ahmed Aminu-Ramatu Yusuf labored as deputy director, Cupboard Affairs Workplace, The Presidency, and retired as Normal Supervisor (Administration), Nigerian Meteorological Company, (NiMet). E mail: aaramatuyusuf@yahoo.com