NIGERIANS have reacted to the suspension of the proposed protest and strike by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) against the increase in the pump price of petrol and electricity tariffs by the Federal Government.
The leaders of the two labour centres after a marathon meeting with representatives of the Federal Government early hours on Monday announced that they have suspended the protest and strike after reaching an agreement with the Federal Government.
.Many who had anticipated that the planned protest would kick off Monday morning across the country were depressed by the news of the suspension by the labour bodies.
Unable to hold their emotions, many took to Twitter to slam the NLC while some state branches of the NLC protested the Federal Government-NLC overnight agreement.
Otiti Ode, a Twitter user said he had never believed in the NLC because the labour leaders do not favour Nigerians.
“I said it yesterday, labour doesn’t favour any person in Nigeria. How sure are we that electricity tariff has been reduced and is it only electricity hike that they are fighting for? Soon you will hear that the labour leader is contesting for governor,” he wrote on Monday morning.
Ebuka Ngama also took the same position saying “Who was even thinking the strike will hold. This NLC is part of the government. Expect nothing from them”.
“Labour, Humanitarian scam ministry, Lawmakers, Executive arm, legislative arm… A total disaster. This country just has to accept its fate and disengage. We’re only creating more problem for the future,” said Paulyson Prays on the suspension of the strike.
A Nigerian who identifies as Oracle Father posited that the NLC had only used the strike warnings to benefit themselves financially.
He said ‘the NLC leadership has just used the opportunity to cash out from the FG. If we all depend on NLC to foster our concerns then, we are in for a shocker. They are a bunch of corrupt thieves’.
Another Nigerian who faulted the decision of the labour leaders to suspend the strike, said the NLC had listed eight reasons for the protest and strike but only got tariffs reduction out of the eight.
“This is a list of why NLC intended to embark on Nation wide strike, but they only accomplish a reduction in electricity Tarrif,… this is the reason I will always love oshiomole NLC leader then….” wrote the Twitter user by the name Insurance Advisor.
Lukman Abolade is an Investigative reporter with The ICIR. Reach out to him via labolade@icirnigeria.org, on twitter @AboladeLAA and FB @Correction94