NLC to consult its organs on nationwide protest following meeting with Tinubu
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has indicated that it will consult its organs before making a final decision on its planned nationwide protest, following a meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the State House, Abuja, in the early hours of Wednesday.
Speaking after the brief meeting, NLC President Joe Ajaero said the consultation was part of ongoing discussions with the government. “We came for consultation with the President, and we are finished, so we have to go back to our meeting and then continue tomorrow. By tomorrow, we will get the outcome,” he stated.
When asked if the planned protest would proceed, Ajaero emphasized that the union operates collectively. “If I’m insisting or I’m not insisting, I will communicate to you. The NLC is not an organisation that one person rules. We’ll go back to the drawing board, digest all that Mr President said to us, and move forward from there,” he added.
He explained that the union’s National Executive Council, as well as state councils, would evaluate the President’s assurances before issuing a final position later on Wednesday.
Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma, who attended the meeting, described the discussions as ongoing. “Consultation is going on. We were dialoguing. At the end of the day, you will know what you are supposed to know and what you want to know,” he said.
On what Nigerians should expect, Uzodimma added, “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.”
Minister of State for Labour, Mrs Nkiruka Onyejeocha, noted that NLC leaders and members were satisfied to meet with the President. “They are happy they’ve seen Mr President and have seen firsthand that the President has driven the economy out of the woods, so it’s very good news,” she said.
The meeting comes amid Labour’s ongoing consultations over a potential nationwide strike related to economic hardship and wage demands. In recent weeks, both the Presidency and the Governors’ Forum have intensified dialogue with union leaders, advocating negotiation over protests.
