From Adanna Nnamani, Abuja
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) began a nationwide demonstration against the nation’s economic hardship in Abuja on Tuesday, despite purported threats to scuttle the event.
The FCT Council, the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUB), and other affiliates of the Congress led the early-morning protests from the Labour Headquarters.
Among those who also participated in the nationwide protest were Ene Obi, a former ActionAid country director for Nigeria and Omoyele Sowore, the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress.
The thousands of workers held posters calling on the government to act to stop rising rates of inflation and hunger and to chant solidarity songs.
Addressing journalists before the protest started, the NLC President, Joe Ajaero said, “We are here for a rally so that Mr President will know how Nigerians feel and know where it is pinching us.
“The government said we should not rally. They used peaceful means and threats but we are in God’s hands.
When questioned about the outcome of the meeting with the federal government’s delegation last night, Ajaero stated that the government’s only goal was to put an end to the NLC protest.
“Yes, we met late Sunday and also late Monday but all the agenda pushed by the government was to urge us not to protest today. Government said that we should not protest and that some of us have a date with history today if we defy that plea to come out. The government used peaceful means and they used threats but we are in God’s hands,” he said.
“Workers are right now exiting the Labour House and are going to embark on street protest through the Federal Secretariat to the National Assembly Complex where the Congress will present a petition to the leadership of the legislature on the concerns of the workers,” he added.