Reactions As NLC, TUC Suspend Nationwide Strike

Reactions have trailed the suspension of a two-day-old nationwide strike by the organized Labour, comprising the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC).

On Wednesday evening, Naija News reported that the organized labour called off the strike shortly after a joint National Executive Council (NEC) meeting between its leaders and government representatives, including the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu.

The concerned stakeholders had entered into the emergency meeting some minutes after 7 pm on Wednesday (today), where various affiliates and state chapters reviewed the outcome of the meeting between the organised labour leaders and Ribadu.

The latest announcement by organized labour has since generated a barrage of reactions on social media as netizens share different views.

“Very unfortunate that Labour is being swayed – A netizen on X, @Opty_sam wrote.
@biyikennie said: “What’s the last bid? How much do you guys finally finish your bargain? We need to know.

@OdogunOmofolabi – “We’re not yet ready in this country. 

@FrankliPeter also wrote: “Prayers has been sent to their mails.

@Beloummy – “They were bound to fail from the beginning.

@Chizzy_Cynthia_ “They couldn’t even Sustain it till Next week.

@J27Cee – “I love PBATs administration cos he always listens and responds to every union in the country, he doesn’t want any form of strike in his tenure.

@investor_jnr – “They’ve never had the interest of the people at heart! This strike is just because their yeye president was attacked and beaten! Stomach comrades!! Nonsense!!

“This is just the beginning all you worker take ur life in ur hands nobody will stand for you all this once go for their porket only,” @frednewage also wrote.

‘We Need To Tell President To Fix Things, We Don’t Need Strike’ – Osinbajo’s Ex-Aide Tells NLC

Earlier, Laolu Akande, a former spokesman for ex-Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, described the ongoing national strike as a distraction.
According to Akande, Nigeria has more significant problems to deal with, especially the current hardship Nigerians face and the Federal Government’s fiscal crisis.

Speaking on Channels TV, Akande said the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) should charge the President to end issues affecting the country rather than embark on strike.

He said, “Mr president has said that the bucks stop at his table, so we need to address Mr President and say, look, Mr president, fix this. We don’t need this distraction.

“The nation has more important problems to deal with. The people are suffering; the last thing that people want to have to deal with is a national strike. We don’t need this strike, and I believe it can be sorted out quickly. I don’t see a very big problem here.”

When asked whether the strike was political or not, Akande said, “That is why we have leaders. Our leaders are political leaders, elected political leaders to solve political problems.

“We have to balance it. The labour does have a responsibility, is it entirely right to bring the entire nation to its knees because of a local issue in Imo? Wouldn’t it have been better to localize this thing in Imo? That’s for labour.

“I am not sure that punishing the whole country for whatever it is that is happening in Imo State, I’m not sure that is the right decision on the part of the labour movement. But for government, starting from the President, all the way down, this is something that can be sorted out with a single phone call. A phone call from the Villa to the Labour leaders would get them running into the Villa. You know this is not the first time the government has had to deal with Labour.

“This is the kind of action that we need. We don’t need any further delay, we need the President to get on the ball and sort this thing out and he can sort it out very quickly. Mr President fix this.”

He condemned the attack on the President of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, recently in Imo State, and described the treatment as “criminal.”