Omoyele Sowore, publisher of Sahara Reporters, has condemned President Bola Tinubu’s response to the National Labour Congress‘s (NLC) protest against economic hardship in the country.
Tinubu accused the labour union of eyeing his position during his speech at the Lagos Red Line inauguration on Thursday.
Tinubu claimed that organised labour does not represent the views of all Nigerians and that if the organisation wishes to run for president, it should wait until 2027.
The president deemed it unacceptable for the NLC to call for a strike within the first nine months of his administration.
Responding to the president’s statement during a programme on Arise Television on Sunday, Sowore said when the ruling party wanted to take over power, it did not wait for election time.
Sowore claimed that the president no longer respects the NLC and urged civil society organisations (CSOs) to devise their methods of protesting Nigerians’ plight.
Sowore said:
“Tinubu is also saying something that I think should be important for everybody and that is to develop new voices because he no longer respects the NLC.”
“The civil society movement in the country should also stop waiting opportunistically for a labour strike before we strike on our own.
“Let’s flood the streets tomorrow; he will know that there are real voices.
“They practically hijacked Occupy Nigeria in 2012. That was where the APC started their political movement. Goodluck Jonathan had not enjoyed power for up to nine months when the occupation of Nigeria happened.
“Why would you say that the NLC should go and wait till 2027? NLC has already told you that they have hardship issues. The only thing that has not changed since Tinubu came into power is minimum wage.”