The Chairman of the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN), Abia State Chapter, Comrade Kalu Sunday, has alleged that the lives of members of the association are now under threat following Tuesday’s forced entry into the Abia State House of Assembly complex by lawmakers who defied the ongoing strike.
Speaking to journalists at the Assembly complex, Comrade Kalu stated that PASAN members fully complied with the national directive to embark on an indefinite strike and stay away from work. He said the union was shocked when lawmakers, led by the Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Austin Mmeregini, arrived with convoys accompanied by the member representing Isukwuato constituency, Lucky Johnson and member for Isialangwa South, Roland Chinwendu Denis with tools, demanding that the assembly gate be opened.
Honourable Lucky Johnson handled the harmer.
“When we told them the security personnel with the keys were not present, they forcefully broke through the gate,” Kalu said. “The issue escalated when we insisted that no PASAN member would be compelled to resume work because it is our right to strike. That was when intimidation began.”
He alleged that a lawmaker, Hon. Roland Chinwendu Denis, threatened violence, ordering his driver to bring matches while making further threats. According to Kalu, “They broke into the gate, insisting they must sit and have their budget breakdown session today. We have video evidence.”
Kalu maintained that any legislative session being held under the circumstances is “illegal and outside normal house procedure,” noting that there were no clerks, messengers, or official staff on duty and that lawmakers resorted to hiring a local generator to power the building and fix the patches on the assembly gate.
He explained that the strike resulted from the government’s failure to implement the Consolidated Legislative Salary Structure (CONLESS) and follow through with negotiated agreements. According to him, PASAN delayed industrial action for two weeks after the government requested time to negotiate, but no progress was made.
“We noticed that there was no commitment. Meetings kept getting postponed with no resolutions. Now, we have been told privately that the government is reluctant because approving ours may encourage other groups to demand their benefits,” he stated.
Kalu added that PASAN has reported the situation to the National Leadership of the Union and the Nigerian Labour Congress, condemning what he described as threats to the lives of workers. “Our lives are now in danger,” he said.
Efforts to get the Deputy Speaker and Chairman, House Committee on Information, Rt. Hon. Augustin Mmeregini, to respond were unsuccessful, as he said he could only speak after an executive session but could not provide a time.
While moving around, journalists saw the broken key, policemen and a welder fixing parts of the broken gate.
Meanwhile, journalists covering the incident were reportedly harassed by the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Legislative Matters, Hon. Luke Ukara, who allegedly insisted that media personnel had no right to cover activities within the Assembly premises without authorization.
