President Bola Ahmed Tinubu said labour unions’ threat to go on strike in the first nine months of his tenure was unacceptable and warned the unions that they are not the only voice of the people.
Tinubu made these remarks on Thursday during the commissioning of the Lagos Red Line Train connecting Agbado to Oyingbo.
“Allow me to throw a jab here. The Labour Union should understand that you’re not the only one with freedom and rights,” Tinubu said.
“If you want to participate in the electoral process, meet us in 2027. If not, maintain peace. You’re not the only voice of Nigeria.”
The Labour Congress had recently suspended the nationwide planned protest over the high cost of living, inflation, insecurity, and hardship in the country.
During the protest, protesters carried placards such as End Poverty and Hunger, Support Local Industries, Fix Local Refineries End Subsidy, End Naira Devaluation, Tax the Rich/Subsidise the poor to make their grievances known on the current economic hardship across the country.
However, the union, in a communique at the end of its National Executive Council meeting, said the objectives of the protest were achieved on the first day of the demonstration.
“Consequently, NEC-in-session resolved as follows: to suspend street action for the second day of the Protest having achieved overwhelming success thus attained the key objectives of the 2-day protest on the first day,” the communique partly read.
