ALFRED ADEGOKE DECLARES SUPPORT FOR THE THREE-DAY WARNING STRIKE OF OSUN WORKERS

PRESS STATEMENT

The candidate of the Socialist Party of Nigeria (SPN) in the Osun 2018 gubernatorial election, Barrister Alfred Adegoke, has declared his unflinching support for the workers of Osun State in their ongoing struggle for the payment of their arrears of salaries and the unpaid gratuities of pensioners in the state.

Barrister Alfred Adegoke believes the three-day warning strike embarked upon by the workers was "long overdue after the APC-Aregbesola government has consistently taken workers' patience for granted." The candidate of the SPN further stated that "workers should by now have seen the fallacies and falsehood in the excuses adduced by the Aregbesola's government in support of the evil modulated salary payment system of the regime." 

"Construction works carried out by the state government are not sufficient as excuses for the non-payment of workers and pensioners the full legal value of their labour for the state. It is in fact the penchant of the Aregbesola's regime for inflating the cost of these projects, through the fraudulent contract system, that landed the state in huge debts, hence the non-payment of workers," he said. Alfred Adegoke further declared that "what the Aregbesola regime has showed is that it is ready to make innocent workers suffer the consequences of the systematic corruption that has characterised Aregbesola's eight years reign of impunity." 

Alfred Adegoke encouraged the workers to fight resolutely for what they are legally and morally entitled to. He also reminded the workers to seize the forthcoming September 22 gubernatorial election to put an end to the recycling of the same crop of ruling elites that has ruined the state since 1999. In his words, "I am standing in this election, with a background of activism, and belief that government must be organized in the interest of society. And this is why the SPN shall put an end to the contract system that has served as a conduit pipe for siphoning public fund while also putting at public disposal the jumbo allowances that political office holders earn, because neither I nor any political appointee shall take more than what an average professional in the Osun State's civil service earns on monthly basis. Neither shall we collect jumbo allowances. 

If elected as Governor, the SPN government will pay all arrears of salaries and pensions, and other outstanding allowances. To get money for all this, we shall stop all illegitimate allocations like security votes and other jumbo allowances, while all political appointees, including myself will earn the salary of professional worker in the state civil service. We shall recover all state funds looted through inflated contracts and unjustified loans. The SPN government shall stop payment for all inflated contracts and loans, and we shall end the era of fraudulent contract system with a well-equipped public work department whose finances and operation will be under a democratic control of the working people and communties."

Barrister Alfred Adegoke equally assures workers of his continuous support and solidarity "as I have stood with you in the past at the barricades of struggle. We are now seeking political power to install a government that would prioritize the wellbeing of the people of our great state."

Oluwole Olubanji

Organising Secretary, on behalf of Alfred Adegoke Campaign Committee