*As Asari Dokubo storms Abuja with his “army” in counter protest
The Organised Labour comprising of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) Wednesday commenced the planned “let the poor breathe” protests in Abuja, Lagos, Kano, among other states.
The National President of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, Muhammed Ibrahim, representatives of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, National Union of Road Transport Workers and several other Union leaders gathered at the Unity Fountain, Abuja, early Wednesday for the protest.
In Lagos, security were fully mobilsed at the rally ground at Ikeja under-bridge ahead of the commencement of the takeoff of the protest rally.
But in counter protest, militant leader, Asari Dokubo, reportedly stormed another venue to demonstrate support for President Bola Tinubu whom he described as Allah’s mandate for Nigeria.
A video doing the rounds on social media shows Asari Dokubo leading a crowd of youths purportedly at a location in Abuja.
The exact location where Dokubo and his boys held their rally in Abuja could not be confirmed as at press time as the video did not indicate the time and datelines.
Meanwhile, the NLC protests are on-going despite last-minute efforts to stop them, including a nationwide broadcast by President Bola Tinubu, where he addressed some concerns raised by labour.
NLC had insisted that its planned protest against fuel subsidy removal would hold nationwide.
At Ikeja Under Bridge, one of the banners read “Let Poor Nigerians Breathe.”
The nationwide NLC protest holding nationwide is to advert government’s attention to the hardship the citizens are passing through on account of fuel subsidy removal, corruption and other anti-people economic policies.
Also Wednesday, Senate, set up a committee to dialogue with protesting unions who broke down the National Assembly Complex first gate due to the refusal of security operatives manning the gate allowing them access to the National Assembly Complex.
The protesters in their hundreds had marched from the Unity Fountain in Abuja to the NASS Complex in demonstration against the “anti-poor” people policies of the President Bola Tinubu administration.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, immediately entered into a closed-door session with the lawmakers and upon his emergence from the meeting said the Red Chamber has set up a three-man committee to meet with the protesters at the National Assembly.
The committee was led by Senate Chief Whip, Ali Ndume, from Borno South Senatorial District.
The Senate further resolved that it will in the shortest possible time meet with the NLC and TUC leadership to find an amicable resolution to the current impasse.
Ndume alongside two other lawmakers — Senator Ireti Kingibe and Senator Tony Nwonye — later met with the protesters at the National Assembly.
The Organised Labour including the NLC, the TUC and their affiliate unions, today, kicked off a protest in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, and other states of the Federation including Lagos, Abia, Plateau, Kaduna, Kano, Rivers, Zamfara, Katsina, Cross River, Ebonyi, Enugu, Kwara, Ogun, Imo, Ondo, and Edo.
*Ebonyi
The Organised Labour in Ebonyi urged the federal and state government to prioritise slashing the cost of governance for sustainable development.
The Union, comprising the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), noted that such cut would go a long way in saving more money for the government to take care of the people’s needs.
They made the assertion in Abakaliki on Wednesday during their peaceful protest over the high cost of living occasioned by the removal of fuel subsidy.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the unions also demanded an increase in the national minimum wage from N30,000 to N200,000.
Prof Oguguo Egwu, NLC Chairman in Ebonyi said the peaceful protest was to send an official message to the ruling class on the need to harness issues of the well-being of workers.
According to Egwu, the protest is not against any individual but to send messages to the leaders.
“There is need to consider the reduction in fuel hike, reduce school fees and all sorts of hikes to move the nation forward.
“Make our refineries work, allow the poor workers the ability to access education at a low cost.
“The workers are weeping, we need a living wage because the minimum wage cannot sustain us anymore,” the NLC Chairman said.
Also speaking, Mr Chidi Igboji, Chairman of TUC in the State decried the way citizens have suffered due to cost of living caused by the subsidy removal.
Igboji reiterated call on the need to cut the cost of running government for the interest of the poor citizens.
*Kano
Members of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) took to the streets of Kano on Wednesday in a massive but peaceful protest against the removal of subsidy.
The demonstrators, converged on the Kano State Library complex before marching toward the Kano State Government House gate, demanding that authorities suspend the removal of fuel subsidy.
The protesters, singing solidarity songs while marching, carried placards with various inscriptions which read: “End fuel price increase, “Fix local refineries, “stop naira devaluation.”
The Chairman of NLC, Malam Kabiru Inuwa, while briefing Gov. Abba Kabir-Yusuf at the entrance of the government house, Kano, called for immediate reversal of all anti-poor government policies, including the recent hike in fuel prices, school fees and the Value Added Tax (VAT).
He also called for the fixing of local refineries in Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna; release of eight months withheld salaries of university lecturers and workers.
Inuwa, who commended the demonstrators for the peaceful conduct, also lauded security agencies in the state for giving them
cover and maintaining peace in the state.
Responding, Yusuf assured that he would deliver their demands to the president.
Represented by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Dr Bappa Bichi, the governor explained that the state government was doing its best to sustain industrial harmony.
The governor, who also commended the protesters for their peaceful conduct, further assured them that the present administration
would continue to implement policies that would improve the lives of the people.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that security personnel were deployed to strategic places across the state to ensure peaceful demonstration.
*Coalition backs NLC, mobilise members
The Coalition of South-East Youth Leaders (COSEYL), a sociopolitical group, has mobilised its members to support the nationwide protest by the National Labour Congress (NLC).
The Group’s President-General, Mr Goodluck Ibem and Public Secretary, Mr Okey Nwaoru, jointly said this in a statement made available to newsmen in Owerri, on Wednesday.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the NLC announced plans to organise a nationwide protest as a result of the removal of fuel subsidy and the attendant economic hardship on Nigeria’s workers.
The group said that Nigeria’s economy depends majorly on fuel and other petroleum products to function and any decision or policy that increases the price of petroleum products will hit hard on Nigerians.
“This protest is pertinent because Nigeria’s mortality rate has increased by 60% as a result of the suffering and hardship brought upon Nigerians by the unilateral removal of fuel subsidy without any provision to make petroleum products affordable by Nigerians.
“We therefore pledge our full support to the protest in other to save Nigerians from ‘extinction’ as a result of the hardship and suffering they are currently facing,“ the group said.
