A former General Secretary of the
Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, Chief Frank Kokori, on
Thursday, called on the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade
Union Congress to “sheathe their swords and give President Bola Tinubu ample
time to address the ailing economy before deciding on embarking on strike.”
Kokori, presently on admission
for kidney-related ailment spoke with journalists from his hospital bed in
Warri, Delta State.
He said, “I’m sure you are
following the NLC debacle when the body wanted to shut down the country. I have
to educate Labour that you don’t go on strike for two days without prior
notice. People, including Labour, should give Tinubu some time to remedy the
country.
“I know I have discussed with him as President. I met him on June 15 to tell him not to disgrace Nigeria; and that for the first time, people who fought for democracy are in power, that I have to do my best to calm down the labour unions because I know the country cannot survive it.
“About 97 per cent of Nigeria’s
income now goes to service loans. How do you think Tinubu can do magic
overnight? I’m agitated because people are dying. You can’t blame them.
Imagine, if I didn’t have some funds, I would have died yesterday night just
because of diesel.”
Kokori lamented that there is no
functional public hospital in Warri and its environs.
He added, “Our struggle was to
build a country. The situation of the country…if I wanted billions, I’d have
gotten it. Everybody, including me, stood to fight for democracy. I spent four
years in prison. I did everything for democracy.
“There’s no freedom fighter in
Nigeria like we have in South Africa. I used the instrument I had to restore
democracy. Do you think I don’t mind money? I do, but I won’t take what’s not
mine. I’m a patriot.
“The refineries are not working
today. Because of my dedication to this country, I became the tribune of this
country. People like Beko Ransom-Kuti, Gani Fawehinmi, Kudirat Abiola, and Bola
Tinubu, I was underground for 10 weeks, before I was arrested. The military
junta sent a jet to bring me to Aso Rock, but I rejected the offer. I liberated
the country. Tinubu ran abroad to continue the struggle.
“My point is how can a country
like Nigeria, in the whole of Warri, the only hospital that can handle kidney
issues is Mount Horeb Clinic? It got to a time that I couldn’t take a flight, I
couldn’t walk, I couldn’t take a flight.
“This hospital I am tried to put
on the generating set for long hours despite the cost. And without the AC, I
would have given up. I came out of a coma and met unbearable heat. So, I have
to beg the hospital to switch on the generator. There was only one doctor
around, with a poor girl struggling with many patients. I was going and coming.
“I wasn’t in a coma when I came
to the clinic. I went into a coma here. I came in here Tuesday. But yesterday,
it was too much. I’m 80 years old now. I spent 25 years in struggling for this
country. But how can a whole Warri that I know doesn’t have a functional
hospital? If I could have it this bad, what about the common people? Other
arrowheads of democracy like Kuti, and Fawehinmi are dead.”
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