By Seyi Babalola
The leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has been accused of a grand plot to destabilise the country through protests.
A group, Civil Society Situation Room on Good Governance in Nigeria (CSSR-GGN) in collaboration with other civil society groups raised the alarm at a press conference on Sunday.
In a statement co-signed by Dr. Thomas Terna Uzah, executive director/national convener, the CSOs alleged that the NLC is being sponsored by the opposition to cause chaos.
The group further claimed that the labour body has already been mobilised with $5 million to carry out its agenda.
“It is shocking that despite these glaring realities and the dangers of reinstating subsidies, which will collapse the economy and create intractable distortions, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) is leading and coordinating other groups to sabotage the federal government.
“It is of note that NLC’s insistence on the strike is despite the federal government’s engagement with its leadership to explore options for addressing its demands. This raised our suspicion that the union may not be upfront with Nigerians as to the true intent of its industrial action.
“Ominously, it is now being mentioned that the NLC leadership has received $5 million from a certain opposition leader for mobilizing the strike, organizing protests, and throwing the country into crisis. The aim is for NLC to paint the Asiwaju government black and cause a destabilization plot that will bring the government down.
“Since we do not want to be caught unawares, we want to tell the NLC in clear terms that we dare them to go on an indefinite strike, and the Nigerian Civil Society Situation Room will take all legitimate measures to protect Nigerians from the hardship they want to put the country through. We are acquiring more specific details about the NLC’s dealing with the opposition, and sadly, with some foreign interests. We will provide these details to Nigerians when the need arises.”
The CSOs, therefore, urged “all well-meaning Nigerians, particularly the youth, not to allow themselves to be used as cannon fodder for achieving some people’s narrow objective. ”
It added: “We appeal to the Federal Government to look beyond the NLC and increase its palliative measures for Nigerians. We make this plea as we commend the federal government for the palliatives it has provided so far. “
