Tinubu meets NLC leaders over planned nationwide protest against insecurity

President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday night held a meeting withthe leaders of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) as part of last-minute effortsto stop the proposed nationwide protest by the union against the growinginsecurity across the country. The meeting, which was held at the State House, Abuja,started at about 11:27pm and had Joe Ajaero, NLC president, Hope Uzodimma,governor of Imo and chairman of Progressives Governors Forum, Nasir Idris,governor of Kebbi, Monday Okpebholo, governor of Ed0, and Nkeiruka Onyejeocha,minister of labour and employment in attendance. Last week, the congress declared a nationwide protest forDecember 17 over the “degenerating security situation” across the country. The NLC had on Tuesday evening raised the alarm over analleged plot by “unscrupulous agencies and desperate political hirelings” toinfiltrate and violently disrupt its planned nationwide protest. Speaking with State House correspondents after the meeting,the NLC president said the labour union would reconsider its protest plansafter reviewing President Tinubu’s input. He said the congress team would regroup following adedicated session with governors to evaluate next moves. Ajaero described the presidential encounter as consultativeonly, noting that the labour union would deliberate internally beforeannouncing outcomes on Wednesday, December 17. The NLC president did not say whether the planned protesthas been suspended or cancelled but noted that the union would meet and take adecision after the consultation with the president. “We came for consultation with the president, and we havefinished, so we have to go back to our meeting and then continue tomorrow. Bytomorrow you will get the outcome,” he said. “Whether I am insisting on or not insisting on the protest,I will communicate to you; it is not an organisation that one person rules. “Let’s go back; after a meeting of labour and the governor’sforum, we go back to the drawing board and digest all that Mr President said tous and move forward from there.”Also speaking, Uzodimma said the engagement was a productivedialogue, assuring Nigerians of timely updates. “Consultation is going on; we were dialoguing. Like he said,at the end of the day, you will know what you are supposed to know and what youwant to know,” he said. “What should Nigerians expect? Of course, we are here toserve the country – both the labour, the government and the governed. We areall working in service to the nation.” The minister of state for labour and employment affirmedthat the NLC leadership had been granted the audience they requested with thepresident.

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