Economic Crunch: Lukman warns APC of looming rebellion as NLC issues strike notice
17 February 2024 |
3:41 am
As Nigerians grapple with the economic hardship in the country, former Director General of the Progressives Governors Forum (PGF), Malam Salihu Lukman, has warned of an impending rebellion against the ruling All progressives Congress (APC).
As Nigerians grapple with the economic hardship in the country, former Director General of the Progressives Governors Forum (PGF), Malam Salihu Lukman, has warned of an impending rebellion against the ruling All progressives Congress (APC).
The warning came as the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) said it has put machinery in place for a two-day nationwide protest slated for February 27 and February 28, 2024.
NLC National President, Joe Ajaero, said the protest would begin a week after the expiration of the 14-day ultimatum it issued to the Federal Government, which will expire on February 23.
Ajaero, who spoke during a briefing with journalists in Abuja, said the decision followed an emergency National Executive Council meeting on the state of the economy and matters related to insecurity in the country.
On February 8, the NLC and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) gave a two-week ultimatum to the government to meet demands ranging from wage increments to improved access to public utilities and accused it of failing to uphold pledges to soften the impact of reforms.
Ajaero warned the Federal Government against flouting the deadline of the 14-day ultimatum.
The organised labour lamented that millions of Nigerian workers were facing hunger, erosion of purchasing power and insecurity due to reforms that drove up inflation.
Lukman, in an open letter to leaders of the APC, remarked that both the APC as a party and the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu were becoming increasingly unpopular among Nigerians.
He said the resort by people like former national chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole, to blaming former President Muhammadu Buhari would not help matters if President Tinubu continues to avail himself to the counsel of hypocrites and bootlickers in the corridors of power.
“No one should be deceived; given the way we are becoming more and more unpopular, we are faced with the risk of rebellion by ordinary Nigerians,” Lukman who is the immediate past National Vice Chairman, North West, of the APC warned.
The Kaduna-born politician warned that the noticeable weakness of Labour unions and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) that would have provided the needed opposition against APC and President Tinubu could constitute a threat to democratic rule in the country.
To avert such danger, he said it is important that APC leaders return to their old mode of acting as visionary politicians and initiate substantive political reforms in the country to reposition the party and return it to its founding vision of becoming a progressive political.
He added: “At the same time, we need a different President Tinubu to show up who is a democrat and above all a progressive politician who should have a high tolerance level when party members and citizens express disagreements to his decisions.
“We want a President Tinubu who will be open to engagement by party members and Nigerians. Once the disposition of President Tinubu is limited to accommodating only views that agree to his decisions, it simply means that all hopes are dashed. Leaders of APC must therefore refrain from acts that can only strengthen the hands of President Tinubu to dash the hopes of Nigerians.
“The least that should happen is that if leaders of the APC have retreated their commitments to making APC a progressive party, they should openly make that declaration. It is my prayer that this is not the case.
“However, as it is often said, the test of the pudding is in the eating. Will President Tinubu take the needed steps to review the policy directions of his government such that a comprehensive policy framework is put in place, which should include the issue of removal of subsidy and exchange rate and not piecemeal strategy?
“Will the government accept to subordinate itself to the party based on which it accepts to work with decisions of the party, or will it continue to relate with party leaders as its appointees? These are issues that will define the kind of legacy President Tinubu wants to bequeath to Nigerians.”
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