Two meetings between the federal government and labour held on Saturday and Sunday failed to reach a compromise, as labour insist on N65 per litre for fuel pump price in line with the demands of Nigerians all over the world. This morning however, President Goodluck Jonathan announced that petrol price is reduced from N141 to N97. In response, Labour unions have said that strike would go on but street protests are suspended because of the “political dimension it has taken”.
This recent development is a clear pointer to the insensitivity of the Jonathan’s led government to the plight of the Nigerian people. While we commend the steadfastness of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and its affiliate organizations, we state that the NLC has no prerogative to call off the Occupy Nigeria street protests. We warn that the Occupy Nigeria protests transcends beyond the removal of fuel subsidy, it is a spontaneous reaction of the Nigeria people to the economic contradictions which bad leadership has brought to every home. Any attempt to forcefully douse peaceful demonstrations could spur the venting of pent-up frustrations through other aggressive means.
The Federal Government’s new strategy of attacking certain political personalities who have so far shown solidarity with the course of the Nigeria people is a betrayal of the Nigeria people’s mandate and an affront on our collective will.
Occupy Nigeria protestor: 'I'm ready to die'
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