The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has refuted claims that it has pulled out of the upcoming nationwide protest against economic hardship.
News About Nigeria reports that that is contained in a statement by the NLC President, Joe Ajaero.
There have been reports of a youth-led nationwide protest over the rising cost of living and economic hardship.
The protest is reportedly slated for August 1 to 15.
In the statement, NLC President Joe Ajaero clarified that the union cannot withdraw from a protest it did not organise.
“A news report of the withdrawal of the Nigeria Labour Congress from the widely discussed national protest has been brought to our attention. The Nigeria Labour Congress debunks such a story as patently false.
“The truth is that the Nigeria Labour Congress cannot withdraw from a protest that it did not organise. It is only the organisers of the speculated national protest that can decide to pull out or continue with the protest,” Ajaero said.
He emphasised that the decision to continue or cancel the protest lies with the organisers, not the NLC.
Ajaero explained that the NLC has a structured decision-making process for industrial actions like protests, involving internal trade union mechanisms and leadership approval.
He said although the NLC is not leading the protest, it stands in solidarity with Nigerians suffering from harsh economic policies.
The NLC president urged President Bola Tinubu to engage in dialogue with protest leaders to address their demands.
He appealed to the government to listen to the people’s cries and take necessary action, emphasising that the voice of the people is the voice of God.
The planned protest has gained significant attention on social media, with hashtags like #EndBadGovernance, #TinubuMustGo, and #Revolution2024 trending.
Despite calls from the Presidency and police authorities to abandon the plan, the protest movement appears to be gaining momentum.
