• Falana seeks protection for protesters, says NLC’s action not contempt of court
• Shun protest, Nigeria going through ‘surgical’ solution, Afenifere begs Nigerians

Ahead of the planned nationwide protest by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) tomorrow, 65 Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have joined the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) to pull out from the two-day demonstration, saying the protest might stir anarchy and cause more hardship on citizens.

The CSOs, under the aegis of Coalition of Nigeria Civil Society Forum, which warned against going the way Sudan went, called for dialogue with the Federal Government.

They said: “Any attempt to embark on a nationwide protest or strike during this critical period of hunger and harsh economy could be hijacked by hoodlums and criminal elements, who have been waiting for the slightest opportunity to unleash terror, disrupt public peace, loot business premises and markets,” the CSOs said in a statement jointly signed by Buba Ibrahim Mohammed and George Phillips.

On February 16, the NLC announced a nationwide protest scheduled for February 27 and 28, over the failure to implement the agreements reached on October 2, 2023, following the removal of fuel subsidy. This decision followed the conclusion of a 14-day ultimatum issued to the Federal Government regarding the widespread hardship.

Not perturbed by the crack within its ranks and government’s warning to jettison the protest, NLC has expressed readiness to go ahead in line with the decision of its National Executive Council (NEC), stating that states and all its affiliates, as well as civil society groups, are fully mobilised to demonstrate outrage on the mounting hardship and insecurity around the country. This is just as the Congress has raised the alarm over alleged plans to attack peaceful rallies across the country.

NLC president, Joe Ajaero, in a statement, yesterday, alleged that one of the groups, Nigeria Civil Society Forum (NCSF), was being primed to attack its peaceful rallies.

In a replay of what ensued during the October 2020 #EndSARS protest, he alleged that NCSF is one of the emergency groups put together, funded, promoted and remote-controlled by the government to cause violence against its members for electing to peacefully protest against the hunger in the land.

With the alleged threat, he called on the attention of the international human rights body and the governments of the African Union and the United Nations “that the right of the people to peacefully protest and demand for freedom from economic slavery and hardship is being threatened by the Nigerian state.”

He debunked reports that the government has met the October 2, 2023 demands, stating that the government has not addressed or met any of its demands. “Where are the CNG buses? Where is the tax rebate? Where are the cash transfers to 15 million households? Where is the funding for MSMEs? Even the one they have done, they tried to water it down and do it the way they like. Government has not done anything worth marking on the agreement,” he said.

Already, NLC Chairman, Lagos State Council, Agnes Sessi, told The Guardian yesterday that the state was fully mobilised for the protest. According to her, the top organs of the council are expected to meet today to finalise plans for Tuesday and Wednesday.

She said workers are expected to converge at the state’s House of Assembly, where they will submit their letter of protest to the Lagos State government. “We remain resolute, determined and prepared to express our pain and grief peacefully as Nigerians.”

However, the Commissioner of Police in Lagos, Adegoke Fayoade, on Sunday, charged intending protesters not to violate the rights of others while carrying out their protest.

A statement issued in Ikeja by the police spokesperson, Benjamin Hundeyin, quoted Fayoade as warning intending protesters that anyone found infringing on the rights of others would be dealt with lawfully.

The police boss advised against any action capable of grounding commercial activities and obstructing the free flow of traffic in Lagos.

He assured residents that necessary security measures had been put in place to protect lives and property as officers will be deployed to ensure the free flow of traffic and ensure a peaceful environment for the conduct of lawful engagements.

“Police enjoin all peace-loving residents of Lagos State to go about their lawful duties without fear of harassment or intimidation. Adequate security assets have been strategically deployed to ensure the safety and security of all,’’ Fayoade assured in the statement.

The Bauchi State police command also assured NLC of adequate security and vowed to repel any unscrupulous elements from disrupting the peaceful protest declared by the Congress. The command made the assurance in a statement by the public relations officer, SP Ahmed Wakil, on Sunday. He said adequate security measures would be placed to ensure hitch-free conduct of the protest across the state.

Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), has said the proposed public protest of the organised labour movement scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday is not contemptuous of the two ex parte orders of the National Industrial Court (NIC). He also asked the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice of Federation (AGF), Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), to direct the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) to provide adequate security to the conveners and participants in the protest.

Falana, counsel to the TUC and NLC said the planned protest is in line with the provisions of Section 83(4) of the Police Establishment Act. According to him, the issue of contempt does not arise as NLC has challenged the jurisdiction of the National Industrial Court to entertain the substantive case.

In a letter to the AGF, Falana said the National Industrial Court has not restrained the members of the NLC from exercising their fundamental rights to freedom of assembly and freedom of expression to protest against the excruciating economic pains being experienced by the masses.

“Having withdrawn the contempt proceedings filed against the NLC and TUC for embarking on public protest on August 2, 2023, you ought not to have threatened the NLC with contempt of court over its plan to hold rallies from February 27-28, 2024 against the astronomical cost of living in the country”, he contended.

The pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, has appealed to Nigerians to exercise more patience with President Bola Tinubu over the biting economic hardship in the country. Already, there have been protests in Oyo and Osun states over the increasing cost of living and high prices of food as a result of the removal of fuel subsidy and floating of the naira by the Tinubu administration.

The Ohanaeze Ndigbo had last week warned Igbo people against taking part in the protest. Toeing the same line, Afenifere, in a statement by its leader, Pa Reuben Fasoranti, on Sunday also urged Yoruba people not to join the NLC or other protests.

Fasoranti, who advised against planned protests, stated that the country is on the brink of overcoming the economic difficulties it currently faces, emphasizing that the ongoing economic reforms are crucial for the country’s progress, even though they may be causing what he described as temporary hardship for the people.

According to him, the ongoing reforms are necessary, which he maintained will serve as measures to counter the root causes of the country’s economic quagmire.

Fasoranti urged Nigerians to support the Tinubu-led government’s efforts and have faith that Nigeria will emerge stronger from the current economic turbulence.

“While acknowledging the hardships faced by our people, it is important to recognise that these economic measures, although difficult, are part of a larger strategy aimed at restoring economic prosperity and stability to Nigeria.

Also, a chieftain of the opposition Social Democratic Party (SDP), Yakubu Ajaka, has called on organised labour to give President Tinubu till May 29 to address the hardship faced by Nigerians. Ajaka urged NLC to exercise restraint on the planned action as it would be in the interest of the nation if they explore other peaceable means to register their anger.

Ajaka, who was the SDP’s candidate in the recently held Kogi State governorship poll, expressed fears that the action could lead to a breakdown of law and order in the country.

“Evidently, there is no denying the fact of invasive poverty owing basically to the speedy escalation of prices of essential commodities like foodstuffs and necessaries as well as the cost of services,” he said.

“This is due to systemic institutional adjustments by the government that are geared towards revamping our abyss-bound economy. It is a global experience that the pain we confront now is the immediate shock that logically attends to such redemptive economic policies.

“Truly, all Nigerians including my humble self are groaning under the excruciating torment of this harsh existential reality but on the flip side, it is a call to patriotic understanding so that our reactions do not undermine the unity and security of the country.

“I therefore plead with Organised Labour to exercise exemplary patience, demobilize their members from the imminent industrial action and grant the government the benefit of trust at least till the 29th of May, 2024 when this administration would be one calendar year post-inauguration. This I seek in the national interest.”