In accordance with a two-day warning strike, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Edo State has banned entry into the state high court premises.
The National Assembly and state Houses of Assembly election petitions tribunals had scheduled decisions in two petitions for today, but they have been postponed until Thursday.
Last Friday, NLC President Joe Ajaero issued a warning strike in protest of the Federal Government’s refusal to address the difficulties generated by the elimination of gasoline subsidies.
President Bola Tinubu had announced in his May 29 inaugural speech that “fuel subsidy is gone“, which has since led to fuel prices as much as tripling nationwide and a rising cost of living.
The labour union is accusing the Federal Government of abandoning the negotiations and failing to implement some of the resolutions from previous meetings with the government.
On August 2, organised labour protested what it described as the anti-people policies of the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
The NLC, Trade Union Congress (TUC) and their affiliate unions demonstrated in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and several states, including Lagos, Abia, Plateau, Kaduna, Kano, Rivers, Zamfara, Katsina, Cross River, Ebonyi, Enugu, Kwara, Ogun, Imo, Ondo, and Edo.
The protest followed a seven-day ultimatum issued to the Federal Government demanding “the immediate reversal of all anti-poor policies of the federal government including the recent hike in PMS (Premium Motor Spirit) price, increase in public school fees, the release of the eight months withheld salary of university lecturers and workers”.
The union also demanded an upward review of the minimum wage from N30,000 to N200,000, saying that since the President’s “subsidy is gone” inauguration speech of May 29, 2023, the peace of mind of Nigerians has gone.
Several meetings between the Presidency and the unions on palliatives for Nigerians suffering hardship in the wake of the petrol subsidy removal proved abortive.