Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Ali Ndume, has stated that either President Bola Tinubu or the Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima should directly negotiate with organised labour.
Senator Ndume disclosed this while engaging the labour union, civil societies and other concerned citizens, who stormed the national assembly complex on Wednesday July 2, 2023, in protest of the removal of fuel subsidy.
The protesters had pulled down the entrance gate to the complex of the NASS, to force their way in, against the action of the Police officers on duty, who locked up the gate to prevent them from gaining access to the facility.
Reacting to the development on behalf of other lawmakers, Senator Ndume who took a swipe at the Police officers at the entrance gate for prevent them from gaining entrance into the assembly to present their demands to the leadership of the National Assembly, said it is necessary president Bola Tinubu or vice President Kashim Shettima engage them in dialogue.
According him, President Tinubu should listen to Nigerians, who claimed the policy is anti-people and not the World bank and International Monentary Fund.
Also speaking at the rally, the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Comrade Joe Ajaero, flanked by the Trade Union Congress, of Nigeria President, Festus Osifo, said that Nigerians are choking under the present regime, as a result of the removal of petrol subsidy and the hike in fuel pump price.
Ajaero also told President Tinubu to listen to Nigerians and not the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, whose policies they claimed are anti-people.
However, Ndume pleaded with the organised labour to suspend the protest and give the National Assembly one week to look into their grievances and requests.
The NLC had earlier gave the government a 7 days ultimatum to meet its requests, but the labour union union called on the members of the group across the country yesterday, to embark on the protest after all negotiations with the government failed.
