The NLC said this while reacting to reports where the Presidency through Abdulaziz said there was never any time during the NLC and President Tinubu’s meetings on minimum wage negotiation when the President made the agreed new minimum wage as an offer in exchange for fuel price increase.
The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has lambasted the Presidency and Mr Abdulaziz Abdulaziz, the Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Print Media, for denying the President’s offer of N70,000 new national minimum wage in exchange for fuel price hike during negotiation.
The labour union in a statement issued on Wednesday by its Head of Information and Public Affairs, Benson Upah, said the government may have all the ultimate weapons of coercion but true power resides with the people, noting that it is acutely conscious of the fact that falsehood does not live forever.
The NLC said this while reacting to reports where the Presidency through Abdulaziz said there was never any time during the NLC and President Tinubu’s meetings on minimum wage negotiation when the President made the agreed new minimum wage as an offer in exchange for fuel price increase.
Following the current increase of pump price of fuel from N650 to N859 by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), the NLC accused President Tinubu of betraying the trust of Nigerians by increasing fuel prices despite his promise to maintain stability.
The NLC said a crucial condition for accepting the N70,000 national minimum wage was a guarantee that fuel prices would not rise.
However, Abdulaziz dismissed the NLC’s claims, saying that the NLC President, Joe Ajaero is playing “dirty politics,” and that no such promise was made during President Tinubu’s discussions with labour leaders.
Abdulaziz, who claimed that he was present at the meetings between Tinubu and labour leaders reportedly said, “I sat through the two meetings President @officialABAT had with Labour leaders on minimum wage.
“At neither of the meetings was an offer made in exchange for a fuel price hike. Ajaero is once again playing his dirty politics with the emotions of Nigerians.”
But the NLC maintained its stand on the alleged President’s betrayal, saying, “We find the denial of Abdulaziz amusing. We have since asked ourselves if he is suffering from selective amnesia or attention span deficit.”
The NLC spokesperson said, “Not satisfied with his dubious denial, he elected to take a side dig at Comrade Joe Ajaero as ‘…once again playing his dirty politics with the emotions of Nigerians’.
“Whatever the matter is with Abdulaziz, we stand by our statement. And if Abdulaziz was at those meetings as he claimed, he should be courageous enough to let the world know whether the President gave the labour leaders one hour to meet and resolve to either accept and allow an increase or accept N62,000.
“Labour leaders instead chose to meet outside the Villa and report in a week. When they came back, they were blunt and rejected the offer.
“As for Abdulaziz’s side-dig, he should stop insulting the intelligence of Nigerians as they do not need Comrade Joe Ajaero to know they have been taken for a ride and that life has never been this mean, all due to the policies of the government.
“We also find it necessary to let Abdulaziz and those who sent him know that Nigerians are entitled to a decent, respectable life free from harassment, intimidation and starvation.
“Government may have all the ultimate weapons of coercion, true power resides with the people.
“Finally, we are also acutely conscious of the fact that falsehood does not live forever.”
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