The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has lamented the recent increase in the price of fuel, saying the President Bola Tinubu administration betrayed them.

The Congress made the revelation in a statement signed by its president, Comrade Joe Ajaero, on Tuesday, and made available to newsmen.

He wrote:

WE FEEL BETRAYED

We are filled with a deep sense of betrayal as the federal government clandestinely increases the pump price of pms. One of the reasons for accepting N70,000 as national minimum wage was the understanding that the pump price of pms would not be increased even as we knew that N70,000 was not sufficient.

We recall vividly when Mr President gave us the devil’s alternatives to choose from: either N250,000 as minimum wage (subject to the rise of the pump price between N1,500 and N2,000) and N70,000 (at old pms rates), we opted for the latter because we could not bring ourselves to accept further punishment on Nigerians.

But here we are, barely one month after and with government yet to commence payment of the new national minimum wage, confronted by a reality we cannot explain.

It is both traumatic and nightmarish.

Yet, when we told government that it’s approach to resolving the fuel subsidy contradictions was patently faulty and would not last, it’s front row cheer leaders sneered at us, saying we did not understand basic economics.

But if truth be told, this act of betrayal is consistent with the character of this government. We recall the assurances we were given by the leadership of the National Assembly on the 250% tariff hike, that it had been dealt with and there was no need to openly engage the Minister of Power who was at that meeting.

Instead of the promised reversal, the rate has since been jerked up further putting more Nigerians and businesses in jeopardy.

The combined effects of government’s ferocious right -wing market policies brought Nigerians and Nigeria to their all-time low and led to the End-Hunger/End Bad Governance protests.

Rather than make amends, government arrested and hounded into detention some of those who took part and some of those who had nothing to do with these protests, charging them with criminal conspiracy, subversion, treasonable felony, terrorism financing and cyber crime with an intent to overthrow the government of President Tinubu.

The police and other security agencies have since been on rampage terrorising the citizenry in pursuance of government’s agenda of muzzling lawful dissent.

In brazen pursuit, they have defamed and libelled not a few individuals.

They have gone as far as appropriating the statutory roles of the Ministry of Labour and Employment in resolving trade dispute matters and issues considered outside the jurisdiction of the security agencies.

That the government is on rampage in the face of stifling conditions of living is an understatement but we promise Nigerians that we at the Nigeria Labour Congress will not be cowed into submission. Together with civil society, we brought about this democracy when some of the actors in power today were conspiring with the military on how to perpetuate their hold on political power.

When the State and the security forces picked on us in a hybrid war, we had our suspicions. We knew they were up to something sinister and needed to distract/divert our attention or possibly frighten or weaken us before they came out with it so that we would not have a robust response.

Now that they chickens have come to roost, we were right in our suspicions. However, we want to let Nigerians know that the clandestine/surreptitious increase in the pump price of pms is the first among the equally sinister policies government has up its sleeve.

On our part, we stand resolute with the people and will neither be distracted nor intimidated by the government or its security agencies.

We insist that government cannot criminalise protests or basic rights in the domain of the citizenry.

Accordingly, we demand the immediate:
1). Reversal of the latest increase in the pump of pms across the country;

2). Release of all those incarcerated or being prosecuted on the assumption of having participated in the recent protests;

3). Halt the indiscriminate arrest and detention of citizens on trumped up charges;

4). Reversal of the 250% tariff hike in electricity;

5). Stop to the hijack of the duties of the Ministry of Labour and Employment;

6). End to policies that engender hunger and insecurity;

7). Halt to government’s culture of terror, fear and lying.

We are guided by our belief in our country and the need to secure and sustain its sovereignty, integrity and welfare of the people.

In the coming days, the appropriate organs of the Congress will be meeting to take appropriate decisions which will be made public.

Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mr. Femi Falana, has criticized the rising use of treason charges against protesters in Nigeria.

Falana, who spoke at a two-day international conference on anti-corruption and climate change in Abuja on Tuesday, condemned these charges.

On Monday, the Federal government charged 10 leaders and organizers of the #EndBadGovernance protest, which occurred from August 1 to 10, 2024. The protesters appeared before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja, facing treason charges among other allegations.

The defendants; Michael Adaramoye (also known as Lenin), Adeyemi Abayomi, Suleiman Yakubu, Opaoluwa Simon, Angel Innocent, Buhari Lawal, Mosiu Sadiq, Bashir Bello, Nuradeen Khamis, and Abdulsalam Zubairu, pleaded not guilty to the six-count indictment filed by Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun.

The charges outlined in case number FHC/ABJ/CR/454/2024 include treason, attempts to destabilize the country, intimidation of the President, and the destruction of government property in Kano.

The #EndBadGovernance protests, which drew significant attention in August, were part of a broader movement demanding greater accountability and reforms in Nigeria’s governance.

Falana expressed grave concerns about what he termed the “tribalisation” of treason, questioning the logic behind charging citizens with such a serious offense simply for protesting.

“I have been under pressure in the last 24 hours from Nigeria and abroad. People are wondering why the charge of treason is being tribalised in our country. How can you say that because people protested, they are being charged with treason?” Falana asked.

Assuring the public that there is no reason for alarm, Falana revealed that he has taken up the case and plans to advise President Bola Tinubu to instruct the police to withdraw the charges.

“All those who have expressed concern, do not be bothered; there is no cause for alarm. We are taking up the case, and we are going to advise the government, particularly the President, to direct the police to withdraw the charge. And that advice is also in the interest of the government because a treason charge is not like a charge of stealing,” Falana said.

He highlighted his experience defending treason cases, noting that this would be his fifth such case. “In the four previous cases, the government was compelled to withdraw the charges because we turned the case into the trial of the government,” Falana added.

He warned that misuse of treason charges could have negative repercussions for the government, citing past experiences as evidence.