Jonathan Nwokpor
President Bola Tinubu recently made a jab at labour unions in the nation, which the Trade Union Congress, TUC, has responded to.
ZINGTIE reports that Tinubu expressed his dissatisfaction with the TUC and Nigeria Labour Congress leadership on Thursday, stating that it was unacceptable for them to be involved in politics without direct involvement.
Taking another jab at them, he warned that they were not the only voices to be heard and accused both unions of encouraging people to protest just nine months into his administration.
During the first phase of the 37-kilometer Lagos Rail Mass Transit (LRMT) Red Line project’s groundbreaking, the president lost control. The project’s goal is to improve transportation and logistics in the state while cutting travel times.
Festus Osifo, President of the TUC, reminded the Nigerian leader that protesting is a fundamental right of citizens during a speech on Channels Television on Friday.
Given the state of affairs in Nigeria while he was in office, he added, the President’s assertion that he would hold off on entering politics until 2027 was alien.
“I listened to that comment yesterday where he [President Tinubu] said that we should wait till 2027 if we want to contest for election.
“For me, I can speak for the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria. For us, we’re not politicians. We are unionists. The right to protest is the fundamental right of every Nigerian.
“We don’t have issues with protest. When need be people must exercise their rights. People must protest. In terms of waiting till 2027 to enter into politics, I don’t think…I as an individual don’t belong to any political party. I’m not a card carrier of any political party.
“What I’m interested in is the welfare of my members and indeed the entire Nigerian masses. For me, what the President said is alien to us because the right to protest and the right to strike is that of the workers.
“There are lingering issues. The fact that you’re going to protest or strike something led to it. Those fundamental issues should have to be addressed.”
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