The leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has been challenged by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) to be transparent about its position on Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate Peter Obi’s decision to end gasoline subsidies if elected in 2018.
Festus Keyamo, the party’s presidential spokesman, issued the challenge in a statement in Abuja on Saturday, September 17, 2022.
Keyamo, who is also the Minister of State for Labor and Employment, pointed out that the LP presidential candidate just made a public commitment to completely eliminate gasoline subsidies if elected, which the NLC leadership has long opposed.
The APC Campaign Council questioned how organised labour could defend its long-standing opposition to the removal of the subsidy when its leadership on Monday at a national retreat of the opposition Labour Party promised to mobilise its members across the 774 local government areas to ensure Obi’s presidential ambition would succeed.
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The NLC leadership was questioned by the APC Presidential Campaign Council about whether it had discussed the reduction of fuel subsidies with the LP candidate prior to providing the opposition candidate with unconditional support.
“We note that the leadership of organised labour under the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Monday, September 13, 2022, at a national retreat of the Labour Party in Abuja, promised to mobilise its members across the 774 local government areas in Nigeria to ensure Mr. Peter Obi’s victory in the presidential election of the following year.
We also note that Mr. Peter Obi has pledged to completely eliminate gasoline subsidies if elected President in a number of interviews he has given in the recent months and weeks. We also take note of NLC’s ongoing opposition to the complete elimination of fuel subsidies. There were also other Labour Party members that lean to the left there to support Mr. Peter Obi.
“Consequently, the following questions are urgently begging for answers by the leadership of the NLC:
Before adopting Mr. Peter Obi as its candidate, did the leadership of the NLC have a discussion with him on the issue of removal of fuel subsidy?
If they did have that discussion, did Mr. Peter Obi agree to back down on the issue of subsidy removal? Was that a basis for supporting him? If he did not back down on the issue, did organised Labour agree with him?
Does the absence of such a discussion indicate that the NLC leadership now firmly favours ending the fuel subsidy? Or wouldn’t it be irresponsible of the NLC to endorse a candidate without thoroughly questioning him about his ideas and how they effect Nigerian workers or the general populace? The NLC needs to come honest about this and issue a public statement.
How is Mr. Peter Obi‘s assertion that the money will be saved be any different from what the Buhari administration is also claiming if that is the justification?
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These inquiries are required because Nigerians have a right to know whether organised Labour’s adopted party, the Labour Party, endorses or promotes a programme that the party’s leadership denounces in a different context when it is embraced by the ruling administration. No way are they blowing hot and cold.
Keyamo, who had previously stated that the APC PCC will ensure an issue-based campaign, then charged the media with questioning organised labour in order to ascertain their stance on the elimination of gasoline subsidies.
Keyamo urged all members of the 4th Estate of the realm to thoroughly question the NLC and the Labour Party on the one hand, as well as the Labour Party‘s ostensibly right-leaning followers and Mr. Peter Obi on the other, in order for them to be completely honest with Nigerians.
