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By Patrick Akpuh
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and some civil rights organisations have vowed to resist the recent hike in petrol pump price from N86.50 to N145 per litre, with protests scheduled to begin on Wednesday, baring last minutes reconsideration. They argue that the new price regime will put untold hardships on Nigerians considering he current state of the economy.
The Federal Government has scheduled a meeting for today with organised labour with the aim of avoiding the protests.
But in addition to moves aimed at convincing Nigerians to support the government’s action and ignore the NLC’s call for protests, proponents of the fuel subsidy removal have launched various forms of attacks and actions aimed at dividing the ranks of the labour movement.
This is even as the opposition party, PDP is alleging that the Federal Government had started to bribe members of the labour movements and civil rights group in order to frustrate them.
Deji Adeyanju, PDP director of new media, in a series of tweets this morning said:
They have started sharing money in Aso Rock to civil society groups and some NLC/ TUC members to frustrate
#OccupyNigeria2. Change ooo.Ibe Kachikwu sharing Dollars among Labour Leaders, trying to break the ranks of NLC and TUC. These are the jokers fighting corruption. Pity!
Heard a group was paid N150m by NNPC to justify Removal of Subsidy. The group has started adverts in Radio & TV. Just imagine the rubbish.
One of the mandates of the groups they are sharing money to is for them to also mobilize street protests in support of Subsidy Removal.
Ibe Kachikwu sharing Dollars among Labour Leaders, trying to break the ranks of NLC and TUC. These are the jokers fighting corruption. Pity!
Whether or not the allegations are true, other developments on social media indicate that there is an all out war against the NLC and opponents of fuel subsidy removal. It can however be better placed by saying that proponents and opponents of fuel subsidy removal are poised for a showdown just as #OccupyNigeria2 looms.
Below are some actions aimed at stopping the NLC:
A photo art on social media
Tosin Adeyanju, Executive Director, Conscience Nigeria He listed some members of the collation supporting deregulation of the oil sector as Stand up Nigeria, Centre for Leadership Development (CPALD), National Youth Council of Nigeria and Arise Nigeria.
He said:
“We equally appeal on the NLC and other civil society colleagues to shelve the proposed nationwide strike and engage the government.
“If our country is shut down as proposed, billions of naira will be lost and the country will suffer for it in the long run”
Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) warned Nigerians not to allow themselves to be ‘deceived again’ ahead of planned industrial action by the organized labour over the increase in pump price of petrol.
“What the labour unions are doing now by calling for a strike action was what they did in 2012 during the Occupy Nigeria protests in response to similar increase in the pump price of petrol under former President Goodluck Jonathan. The labour unions later scuttled the action by purportedly entering into an agreement with the then government on behalf of Nigerians and ended up fixing the pump price of petrol at N97.00 per litre.
“Nigerians must be aware that the planned strike action scheduled for Wednesday won’t last beyond Friday as the labour leaders have been compromised and are using the call as a ploy to deceive the masses.
“As per the NLC they are fast becoming a joke” – @ogundamisi #FuelPriceHike
