President Bola Ahmed Tinubu Wednesday met with the leaders of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) to persuade them suspend the nationwide protests against the current economic hardship in the country occasioned by the removal of fuel subsidy.
The meeting was the first that the President was personally involved since the organised labour declared the intention to embark on protest over the removal of subsidy.
Fielding questions from State House correspondents after the meeting, the President of Nigeria Labour Congress Comrade Joe Ajaero said the meeting was fruitful and productive.
Asked whether the president requested them to call off the protest, the NLC President said: “The President is a pro-democracy activist. So, he understands protests.”
He said the leadership of the NLC and the TUC would report to their National Executive Council the commitments made by the President for the next line of action.
“We met with him. The issues we discussed are the same issues that led to the protest today. He has expressed his position, made some commitments, which were taken side-by-side with what the Senate said, and we’re taking it back to the office with our colleagues to review it and release a document on our next line of action,” the NLC president said.
On whether what was presented was different from the content of the presidential broadcast, the NLC President said: “We have gone deeper into them. The broadcast has broader issues, but there are one or two things that need immediate attention.”
He said the only organ of the NLC and TUC that has the power to call off the nationwide protests is the National Executive Council which would meet to appraise the situation.
“No one person can call it off. That’s why I say we’ll have to go back to the office. So that they will look at it the EXCO looks at it before they come up. And by tomorrow, the NLC will equally have their NEC meeting, to look at the bigger picture,” he said.
