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.”