Ajaka to NLC: Shelve Protest, Give Tinubu’s Govt Benefit of One Year

• Nigeria is on the brink of economic turmoil, and citizens are furious and frustrated by the peddlers of the economy
• This development has prompted the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and other organised labour unions to schedule a nationwide strike
• Former governorship candidate in Kogi State, Murtala Ajaka, has appealed to Nigerians to give President Bola Tinubu the benefit of one year

Legit.ng journalist Segun Adeyemi has over 9 years of experience covering political events, civil societies, courts, and metro

FCT, Abuja - The Social Democratic Party's candidate from the recent Kogi state election, Alhaji Yakubu Murtala Ajaka, has called on the Organised Labour Movement, led by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), to reconsider their plans for a national protest against hunger.

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Ajaka has asked the unions to trust President Bola Tinubu's government until at least May 29, 2024, marking one year since the administration's inauguration.

This appeal comes as the NLC had planned a nationwide protest against hunger for February 27 and 28.

Ajaka's appeal to Nigeria

Responding to the recent development, Ajaka, in a statement released in Abuja on Sunday, expressed concern over the potential consequences of the decision to strike if not reconsidered.

He warned that such action could worsen the current situation, increasing crime and insecurity and ultimately threatening civil order.

The politician, originally from Kogi state, emphasised the undeniable presence of widespread poverty attributed to the rapidly rising prices of necessities and services.

The statement read:

"I dutifully join other patriots in identifying with the concerns of fellow Nigerians over the prevailing economic hardship in our dear country and also to offer counsel to the Organised Labour Movement led by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) against embarking on their proposed national strike.

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"The decision to go on strike, if not revisited, could trigger precipitous consequences in the forms of exacerbation of the current quagmire and an escalation of criminality and attendant insecurity, which are predictable recipes for the breakdown of civil order."

Ajaka demands patriotism

He mentioned that what's happening is felt worldwide, and the hardship Nigerians face is the natural initial reaction to such necessary economic changes.

Ajaka urged Nigerians to give President Tinubu a year and work together to support him during this challenging period.

The politician from Kogi state called for a "patriotic understanding" to prevent Nigerian responses from jeopardising the country's unity and security.

CSO forum rallies against NLC's planned protest

As Nigerians await the commencement of the planned nationwide protest by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), there are agitations for it to be called off.

The Nigeria Civil Society Forum (NCSF) staged a solidarity gathering against the planned strike on Friday, February 23.

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The forum said it was insensitive for the NLC to stage a protest against a barely a-year-old administration

Source: Legit.ng