President Bola Tinubu on Monday night held a crucial meeting with the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, in a last-minute attempt to avert the planned nationwide protest over the economic hardship in the country.
The meeting, which began late in the evening, was attended by key presidential aides and top labour leaders, including NLC President, Joe Ajaero. It followed growing concerns over the deteriorating living conditions of Nigerians, rising inflation, and the impact of fuel subsidy removal.
Sources close to the meeting disclosed that President Tinubu appealed to the labour leaders to shelve the protest scheduled to begin Tuesday, assuring them of the government’s commitment to addressing their demands.
Tinubu reportedly reiterated his administration’s efforts in stabilising the economy through ongoing reforms and social intervention programmes. He emphasised that the protest could further complicate the economic recovery process and urged the unions to embrace dialogue.
The NLC, however, maintained that the protest is a response to widespread suffering, increasing cost of living, and government’s failure to honour previous agreements on wage awards and palliatives.
Ajaero reportedly insisted that the government must take immediate action to reduce hardship, improve power supply, and address insecurity before Nigerians can feel any relief from current policies.
As of press time, there was no official resolution from the meeting, but insiders hinted that consultations would continue.
The outcome of the discussions is expected to determine whether the planned protest will go ahead or be suspended.
