President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday night held a meeting with the leaders of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) as part of last-minute efforts to stop the proposed nationwide protest by the union against the growing insecurity 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 for December 17 over the “degenerating security situation” across the country.
The NLC had on Tuesday evening raised the alarm over an alleged plot by “unscrupulous agencies and desperate political hirelings” to infiltrate 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 plans after reviewing President Tinubu’s input.
He said the congress team would regroup following a dedicated session with governors to evaluate next moves.
Ajaero described the presidential encounter as consultative only, noting that the labour union would deliberate internally before announcing outcomes on Wednesday, December 17.
The NLC president did not say whether the planned protest has been suspended or cancelled but noted that the union would meet and take a decision after the consultation with the president.
“We came for consultation with the president, and we have finished, so we have to go back to our meeting and then continue tomorrow. By tomorrow 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’s forum, we go back to the drawing board and digest all that Mr President said to us and move forward from there.”
Also speaking, Uzodimma said the engagement was a productive dialogue, 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 you want to know,” he said.
“What should Nigerians expect? Of course, we are here to serve the country – both the labour, the government and the governed. We are all working in service to the nation.”
The minister of state for labour and employment affirmed that the NLC leadership had been granted the audience they requested with the president.
