…By Dorcas Funmi for TDPel Media.
Former Minister of State for Employment, Festus Keyamo, has expressed his views on the impending strike announced by the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC).
The NLC had declared its intention to commence a nationwide strike on Wednesday.
This strike was said to be a response to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited’s failure to reverse the new pump price for Premium Motor Spirit (PMS).
In response to this development, Keyamo took to his Twitter handle to refer to a press release he issued in 2022 during the campaign period.
He claimed that the Labour Union had fully supported the campaign of the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, who had openly stated his intention to eliminate fuel subsidy if elected president.
In the press release, Keyamo questioned the reasons behind the Congress’s support for the LP candidate, considering their opposition to the removal of the subsidy.
He emphasized that he had previously highlighted this concern in the press release issued on September 17, 2022, during the campaign period.
However, his observations were seemingly ignored.
The press release, issued by the APC Presidential Campaign Council, called on the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress and other left-wing supporters of the Labour Party to clarify their stance on Peter Obi’s vow to remove fuel subsidy if elected.
The statement raised questions about whether the NLC had discussed the issue of subsidy removal with Peter Obi before endorsing him as their candidate, and if so, whether he had agreed to reconsider his position.
It also questioned whether the NLC now fully supported the removal of fuel subsidy or if endorsing a candidate without thoroughly examining their policies was irresponsible.
Keyamo stressed that it was important for the NLC to make a public statement and provide clear answers to these questions, as Nigerians deserved to know whether the Labour Party, which the NLC had adopted, supported a policy that contradicted the leadership’s own stance.
He called on the media to thoroughly investigate and question both the NLC and the Labour Party, as well as the supporters of the Labour Party, to ensure transparency and accountability.
In summary, Festus Keyamo has raised concerns about the impending strike by the Nigerian Labour Congress, highlighting the contradictions in their support for a candidate who vowed to remove fuel subsidy, a stance the NLC previously opposed.
He called for transparency and urged the media to investigate the matter further to ensure clarity for the Nigerian people.