Tinubu Persuades NLC, TUC To Suspend Protest

Abuja, NIGERIA — President Bola Tinubu may have finally convinced the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) to suspend further protest over removal of the fuel subsidy and other policy initiatives of the current administration.

On Wednesday, after.closed-door meeting with President Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja the NLC President, Mr Joe Ajaero said that organized labour will suspend the protest because “the president made some commitments during the meeting which they would take to workers’ leaders.”

He said President Tinubu did not force them to suspend the industrial action, adding that Tinubu is a “pro-democracy activist; so he understands protests”.

“He has expressed his position and made some commitments, which were taken side-by-side with what the Senate said.

“We’re taking it back to the office with our colleagues to review it and release a document on our next line of action”, he said.

Ajaero said the issues of the palliatives as contained in the Presidential broadcast were broad, adding that some things needed to be done immediately to cushion the effect of subsidy removal.

He said that an immediate decision about the protest could not be taken by the labour leaders that came for the meeting now.

“No one person can call it off. That’s why I say we’ll have to go back to the office. So that we will look at it at the EXCO meeting.

And by tomorrow, the NLC will equally have their NEC meeting, to look at the bigger picture”, he said.

The meeting took place a few hours after the organized labour led out Nigerians to protest the removal of the fuel subsidy and other policy initiatives of the current administration.

NLC says it will make its decision on the suspension or continuation of its protest against the effects of fuel subsidy known on Thursday.He said the issues at the meeting were the same as those that led to the protest ab initio.