By; JACOB ONJEWU DICKSON
The All Progressives Congress (APC) United Kingdom chapter has condemned in entirety, the proposed strike action announced by the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) over the recent removal of the petroleum product subsidy by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu a few days ago.
According to the General Secretary of NLC, Mr Emmanuel Ugboaja had addressed the affiliates asking them to recall the decisions taken during their last meeting a few days ago, “You will recall that arising from the National Executive Council meeting held on 2nd June 2023, it was decided that Congress will embark on a nationwide action and withdrawal of services, against the fraudulent increase in the prices of fuel across the thirty-six states of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the FCT.
“Please be informed that the nationwide action will commence on Wednesday, 7th June 2023. To this effect, all National Leadership are expected to mobilise their members for the action and ensure full compliance with the directives as services in both the public and private sectors are expected to be fully withdrawn by Wednesday, 7th June 2023. All Presidents and General Secretaries are expected to help ensure the implementation of the decisions of the National Executive Council.”
But in a reaction, the publicity secretary of the APC in the United Kingdom, Mr Jacob Ogunseye described the actions of NLC as unpatriotic and surprising. According to Ogunseye, the party’s chapter in the UK expressed shock over the decision of the NLC and TUC to plan a strike without fully exploiting other avenues for resolutions. The statement affirmed that the country is bleeding and only decisive actions can rescue it.
“The NLC and TUC should show patriotism as Nigeria need a president who has a strong desire to take affirmative positions like President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. We are not unaware of the initial pains the subsidy removal will bring to our people but the long-term gains outweigh this pain. NLC and TUC should consider themselves as a partner in the project to ensure we move forward as a nation.
On the other hand, Ogunseye queried the motive of the labour leaders asking if they could have embarked on strike if their affiliate party (Labour Party – LP) had won the presidential election. He argued that the unions had constituted themselves into an opposition party which lack the powers to act as a pressure group.
“It is clear that the NLC and TUC have become a pawn in the political chess game of some vested interests in the country with no interest in the general well-being of the masses and unless it rescinds its decision on a strike action and apologise to Nigerians for heating up our polity unnecessarily, it will no longer be taken seriously by Nigerians”.
Earlier, the APC UK chairman, J K Adebola had initially urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to ensure that his policies were not sabotaged by enemies of state whose stock in trade is capitalizing on every policy of the government to make life unbearable for the populace noting that President Bola Tinubu’s administration came in on a blaze of glory and it must not allow anyone irrespective of their positions or affiliations fritter away the goodwill currently being enjoyed by the administration.
The APC UK Chairman said that these same NLC and TUC leaders stood on the same rostrum and agreed with Peter Obi when he promised to remove fuel subsidy, they owe Nigerians an explanation why they are now calling for a strike action when President Asiwaju did same thing promised by their preferred Presidential candidate”, the statement added.
