Tinubu, Labour leaders hold closed-door talks over planned insecurity protest

In a last-minute move to placate the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to shelve its planned protests against the rising insecurity situation across the country, the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, led the President of the Organised Labour, Comrade Joe Ajaero, to a meeting with President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday night.

Present at the meeting held behind closed doors at the State House were Imo State Governor and Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum, Senator Hope Uzodimma; his Edo state counterpart, Senator Monday Okpebholo and Kebbi state governor, Governor Nasir Idris.

Asked by journalists on his mission to the State House, the NLC President said he came for a dialogue.

“We came for consultation with the President, and we are finished, so we have to go back to our meeting and then continue tomorrow. (Wednesday). By tomorrow, we will get the outcome.”

Pressed further to clarify if the NLC would shelve today’s protest based on persuasion by President Tinubu, Comrade Ajaero insisted that he would need to engage other leaders of the organised labour.

“If I’m insisting, I’m not insisting, I will communicate to you. It is not an organisation that one person rules. Let’s go back now. You have a meeting of level and the governor’s forum. We’ll go back to the drawing board and digest all that, Mr. President said to us, and move forward from there.”

Also speaking with State House Correspondents, the Imo State Governor spoke in same vein, submitting that further consultations were ongoing.

He said:” Consultation is going on. We were dialoguing like His Excellency (referring to NLC President) said, at the end of the day, you will know what you are supposed to know and what you want to know.

“Of course, we are here to serve the country, both the labour, the government and the governed . We are all working to serve the nation.”

Minister of Labour, however, described the deliberation with President Tinubu as fruitful.

She said:” Members of NLC wanted to see Mr. President, and they’ve seen Mr. President, and of course, you know, they are happy they’ve seen Mr. President, and they’ve heard first hand that at least the President has driven the economy out of the woods, so it’s very good news ”

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