NLC, TUC distance self from planned street protest
By Ukpono Ukpong, Abuja
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) have said that they have no plan to organize a mass action or street protest over any issue in any part of the country.
NLC President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, and his TUC counterpart, Comrade Quadri Olaleye in separate statements, said before labour embarks on any mass action or street protest, the issue(s) in contestation must first be thoroughly debated by its appropriate organs, adding that such a decision can only be taken by the same organs.
“Accordingly, we wish to state unambiguously that neither has such an issue arisen nor a debate for a mass action taken place, let alone a decision to proceed on a mass action. We are therefore, not involved in any street protest.
“We would wish to inform our members/affiliate unions, civil society allies and the general public that the Nigeria Labour Congress is neither organising nor getting associated with any mass action or street protest over any issue in any part or every part of the country in the days ahead,” Wabba declared.
Similarly, Comrade Olaleye of the TUC said “the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) wishes to inform the general public that it has no planned mass action or street protest in the country for now,” disclosing further that the body is also not in league with any group for any mass action in any part of the country.
“TUC remains committed to the corporate existence of this country in which all manner of people enjoy the right of citizenship,” Olaleye stated.
However, in the statement the labour leaders explained that both labour centres hold the opinion that any group or groups reserve the right to express themselves in any manner they deem fit taking into cognisance the laws of the land.
“Nonetheless, congress respects the rights of the citizenry to freely associate and hold an opinion, and to peacefully protest against any policy or policies with which they disagree,” the statement concluded.
