Fresh narratives have emerged on the true reasons behind the blackmail by some sections of the media, directed at the members of Anambra House of Assembly, with particular reference to Hon. Muobike over the recently failed picketing of the state assembly yesterday, 3rd June 2024 by union leaders of the NLC, Anambra chapter.
A viral video which emerged yesterday which has been confirmed as fake claiming that the lawmaker representing Aguata 2 State Constituency in the 8th legislature, Hon. Tony Ifedilichukwu Muobike said that Anambra workers will be replaced by Robots, is nothing but a doctored video, aimed at tarnishing the image of the law maker.
In an exclusive chat with the lawmaker this morning, he enumerated how the altercation started and what he told the said person, as he cautioned him not to disturb the peace of the assembly. He however restated the fact, that he didn't say such thing neither did he make any unwarrented statements against civil servants in the state.
He said what really happened on Monday 3rd June at the state assembly complex Awka was that striking NLC members carrying sticks and other harmful objects forced themselves into the complex chanting war songs, with the aim to destroy government properties.
He said lawmakers who were present at the time in the assembly complex came out to plead with them for calm, but one of the NLC members who lead the delegation for the picketing threatened to beat him up, if he did not leave the assembly complex. He said this made him to remind him that his case of forgery is still pending before the house, and as such he has no moral justification to lead the delegation in the first instance.
But the Union leader, who is the Chairman of National Union of Local Government Employees, Mr. Adigwe Chikwelu Sampson confronted Hon. Muobike, telling him and others to leave the complex. Recognizing Mr Adigwe, Hon. Muobike reminded him that he shouldn't be leading Labor workers as his employment with the local government service commission is questionable and being challenged by his own colleagues, who accused him of using a forged certificate of Abia State University to gain employment with the Anambra State Local Government Service Commission ( find attached supporting documents).
Moreso, the Abia State University has replied to an inquiry by the Local government service commission on the subject matter in a letter directed to the head of Personnel Management of Anambra state local government service commission dated 1st February 2024, and in the letter ,the University stated that Mr. Adigwe Chikwelu Sampson did not graduate from the Abia State University.
These assertion by Hon. Muobike further infuriated the labour leader who became even more irrational and threatened to beat up the Lawmaker with his colleagues and tear up his clothes if he didn't exit the complex immediately, a threat the Honorable Member vehemently resisted as can be seen in the video.
It was this threat from Mr Adigwe to tear the Honorable Member's clothes and beat him up that prompted the member to say he will slap him. At no time did the member say anything about robots or minimum wage nor did he ever call anyone a nuisance. These are all fictitious lies by those being used by the opposition.
Hon.Muobike went further to state in clear terms that the allegations making the rounds that he pronounced that civil servants will be replaced with robots was uncalled for and maintained that they were all lies from the pit of hell, saying that these allegations were the handiworks of the opposition, and most especially the person whose integrity of working with the Anambra state civil service is still in question.
The lawmaker said, " At no time did I ever say anything like that. What actually happened was that in the morning of Monday 3rd June 2024, we were in the office working, because we go to work everyday, and suddenly we started hearing noise emanating from the security gate and we looked and saw some people carrying sticks and some other items chanting songs and approaching the offices of the assembly members.
"We assumed they are labour leaders because there was a strike action by the NLC. So, we came down quietly to address them just in a proper and quiet manner.
When we came down to address them,It was all rowdy. They were chanting and saying that they will bring the complex down, if we don't vacate the premises with immediate effect.
Thereafter I began to see stories where people claimed I said labour leaders will be replaced with robots. That they are a bunch of nuisance. That they don't deserve minimum wage and all that. All these are lies because I never said or insinuated things like that. "
Muobike however noted that unionists were part of the society and he respects them alot, adding that labour leaders were there to protect the interest of workers.
Muobike who said that the leadership of the House of Assembly has already waded into the matter, and thus stands in total solidarity with Anambra workers and will never make any denigrating, demeaning or dehumanizing statement against them.
He said, " We are all workers. As a representative of my constituency, there are a lot of workers from my constituency that also form part of the Anambra state workforce. I represent them and I stand to protect their interests.
So in the larger outlook, we as a house of Assembly are there to protect the interest of our people which includes the workers.
"I have total respect for them and I will never denigrate workers. I believe that they deserve every good thing as the workers of Anambra state. He concluded