Amid threat of facing ill-conseequence of disobeying court order restricting them from calling for industrial action, the leadership of the labour unions said they are ready to spend time in jail.
The Industrial Court at the instance of the federal government barred labour from going on strike with the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, said the labour leaders would be guilty of contempt of court should their proposed strike action scheduled for next Tuesday follow through.
Speaking the mind of the labour leadership, National Deputy President of the Trade Union Congress, Tommy Etim, said they are not bothered and prepared to be jailed.
“It is a threat but power belongs to the people. Let them carry all of us to the prisons. I can only answer by saying the end justifies the means. If that is what they want, let’s see what would happen on the 3rd of October. The good thing is that Nigeria is our country. If he would pack all the Nigerian people to prison, there is no problem.
“If the government wants to put us in prison, let them put us in prison. Going to prison is not a death sentence. After all, even a (former) president passed through the prison. Didn’t (Segun) Obasanjo go to prison? We are used to threats and it is not going to deter us, we are not cowards.
“We are working for the country and if the government feels it wants to put us in prison because we are working for the country, so be it. Let the end justify the means,” Etim told Punchng.
