President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday night held a meeting with some governors and the leaders of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) over the planned nationwide protest against the growing insecurity across the country.
According to a statement by Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to the President, the meeting, which was held at the State House, Abuja, started at about 11:27pm.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu met with the leadership of the NLC, along with the chairman of Progressive Governors Forum, Hope Uzodimma, Governor of Edo State, Monday Okpebholo and Governor of Kebbi State, Dr Nasir Idris and the Minister of State Labour, Honorable Nkeiruka Onyejeocha,” Onanuga said.
“The chairman of the NLC, Comrade Joe Ajaero led the Labour leaders to the meeting on Tuesday night at the State House, Abuja.”
Last week, the Federal Workers Forum (FWF) threw its full weight behind the planned nationwide protest by the NLC, describing it as a “national assignment” critical to the survival of the country. The protest was scheduled for December 17, 2025.
In a statement signed by Andrew Emelieze, National Coordinator of the FWF, alongside Secretary-General Comrade Ayo Ogundele and Mobilisation Officer Aliyu Ibrahim, federal workers expressed readiness to participate in the protest, calling on all Nigerians to join in solidarity.
“This protest is not for workers alone; it is a duty for our collective survival,” the statement read in part.
The forum cited worsening insecurity, poor governance, dilapidated public services, and the harsh economic realities confronting Nigerians as reasons for the urgent protest. “Nigeria is now like a state of nature; uncertainty and fear have become the hallmark of our daily lives. Governance has reached the lowest ebb, and we cannot continue to witness this pervasive hopelessness,” the FWF said.
The forum specifically criticised the government’s handling of public sector strikes and wage arrears, noting that health workers have been left unsupported, education remains underfunded, and federal employees are owed back pay.
The FWF urged the federal government to settle the outstanding three-month wage arrears owed to federal workers since May 2023 and clear all backlog before the end of December 2025.
Emelieze also called on the Trade Union Congress (TUC) to join the protest, emphasising the importance of unity within Nigeria’s labour movement.
“It is necessary for the NLC and TUC to work together in solidarity to lead our people toward redemption,” the statement added.
As a demonstration of continued protest, the FWF proposed that workers wear black on Mondays to signal dissatisfaction with the nation’s worsening conditions.
The forum also offered condolences to those affected by insecurity and hardship and expressed confidence that Nigerians “shall overcome.”
