Tinubu meets labour leaders over proposed protest

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu held a meeting with labour leaders on Tuesday over the planned nationwide protest, as efforts continued to avert industrial action.

The meeting took place around midnight at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, and was attended by leaders of organised labour as well as governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), led by the Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum and Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodimma.

Speaking to State House correspondents after the meeting, President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Joe Ajaero, said the engagement was consultative and that labour would deliberate internally before taking a final decision.

“We came for consultation with the President and we are done. We have to go back to our meeting and then continue tomorrow. By tomorrow, we will get the outcome,” Ajaero said.

Asked whether the proposed protest would still go ahead as planned, the NLC leader said no decision had been taken yet, stressing that organised labour operates collectively.

“If I am insisting or not insisting, I will communicate to you. It is not an organisation that one person rules. We will go back to the drawing board, digest all that Mr President said to us and move forward from there,” he added.

On his part, Governor Uzodimma described the engagement as part of ongoing consultations among key stakeholders, saying dialogue remained the preferred approach.

“Consultation is going on. We were dialoguing and at the end of the day, you will know what you are supposed to know,” the governor said.

He added that the interest of the country remained paramount. “What Nigerians should know is that all stakeholders are working to serve the country. Labour, the government and the governed are all working in service to the nation,” Uzodimma said.

Also confirming the meeting, the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, said in a post on his social media platforms that Tinubu met with the leadership of the NLC alongside Uzodimma; Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo; Kebbi State Governor, Dr Nasir Idris; and the Minister of State for Labour, Mrs Nkeiruka Onyejeocha.

“The chairman of the NLC,Comrade Joe Ajaero led the Labour leaders to the meeting on Tuesday night at the State House, Abuja,” he added.

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