A nationwide protest by the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) is planned for February 27 and 28, as the union seeks to bring attention to inflation and the hardship in the country.
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However, the Nigerian Civil Society Forum, a group committed to maintaining peace and order in the country, has voiced its opposition to the planned protests.
The group has vowed not to allow the NLC to plunge the country into anarchy.
The Co-convener of the Nigerian Civil Society Forum, Sunday Attah, recently addressed journalists in Abuja during a solidarity walk from Unity Fountain to the National Assembly gate.
He expressed his belief that calling for a protest against a government that has only been in office for eight months is uncalled for.
The group has called on the NLC to work with the government to find solutions to the issues that are causing hardship in the country, rather than resorting to protests that could lead to chaos and instability.
His words, “We must understand the trajectory of how the NLC has operated over time. Remember in this same country, when fuel subsidy was removed they got up and claimed to be standing for Nigerians.
“They fought and said fuel subsidy should not be removed but after a series of meetings, which of course today they are saying didn’t yield any fruit, we know how these ‘colour’ paper exchanged hands and matters died on the ground.
“We are not going to allow the NLC to plunge Nigeria into anarchy. Calling for protest against an eight months old government is uncalled for. The president is doing all his best, he is not a magician, all that Nigerians need at the moment is to be patient with the president. When a woman gets pregnant it takes nine months for her to deliver and when the child is born it takes another one to two years for the child to walk.”
Attah, a political analyst, made a statement regarding the current situation in the United Kingdom.
He pointed out that even though the British economy is currently experiencing a recessionary period, there are no visible protests against the government by the citizens.
Terrence Kuanum, the Convener of a particular group, expressed his view that the proposed nationwide protest by the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) was an intentional attempt to undermine the government’s efforts.
According to him, ”what is happening is sabotage and we already anticipated this sabotage because few Nigerians were benefiting immensely from this subsidy regime and insecurity that was in this country.
“I am hungry, you are hungry but it is not by sabotaging the system or antagonising the system that we can resolve this issue. We can only resolve this issue as patriotic Nigerians who are concerned that we need to resolve this problem and the generation next to us doesn’t face it.”
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