|
We Hold The
Jonathan Administration
Liable For Murder..and the
Presidency Lied,
says NLC President
Press
Statement Tue Jan 3,2011
Omar
It is with
a heavy heart that the Nigeria
Labour Congress (NLC) announces
the murder of an anti-fuel price
hike protester, who was shot
dead by the police today Tuesday
3rd January, 2012.
The victim
was shot dead around the Post
Office in central Ilorin, Kwara
State. The perpetrators of this
crime were armed policemen from
the Area A Division, close to
UBA Ilorin and the State Police
Command along Sulu Gambari Road,
Ilorin.
The NLC had
cautioned the Jonathan
administration against the use
of brute force and arms against
unarmed Nigerians who protest
publicly, their rejection of its
murderous policy of hiking fuel
prices by between 120 and 200
per cent.
The Police
is directly under the control
and command of the Presidency
and it is the Jonathan
administration’s inhuman policy
that has resulted in the murder
of an innocent citizen. The NLC
holds the Jonathan
administration liable for this
murder and advises it to fish
out its agents who shot
protesters in Ilorin and bring
them to justice..
The NLC
praises Lagosians for their
massive protests on the streets
of Lagos today which ended at
the Gani Fawehinmi Park, Ojota.
We also commend the protesters
who have been on the streets in
various parts of the country
from Lokoja to Kano.
|
The
Belgore and Kolade Committees
The Presidency on Monday 2nd January 2012
set up a committee headed by the retired Chief Justice of the
Federation, Justice Belgore purportedly to dialogue with Labour.
We think this is an afterthought and meant to give Nigerians the
impression that the Government wants to consult Nigerians.
First, the Presidency had invited Labour to
a follow-up discussion on the issue of fuel subsidy removal only
for it to abort the process by removing the subsidy. Secondly,
it announced to Nigerians that it was consulting them on the
issue only for it to announce new PMS prices. Thirdly, the
government announced that even if the subsidy is to be removed,
it will be from April 1, 2012 only for it to carry out same on
January 1, 2012.
Also, the attacks on peaceful
demonstrators, the arrests in Abuja and the murder of a
protester by the police do not portray a government that is
interested in dialogue and peaceful negotiations.
On the Christopher Kolade Committee on the
so-called Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme, Labour
is seeking legal opinion as to the constitutionality of spending
public funds without appropriation by the National Assembly.
The
Presidency Lied!
No one would have believed that the revered
office of the President could stoop so low to tell a lie. In a
bid to defend the Presidency on the misleading and callous
imposition of astronomical increase in fuel prices on Nigerians,
the Special Adviser on Media to President Jonathan, Dr. Reuben
Abati told the media that Labour was in support of the subsidy
removal.
His claim that Labour was consulted and had
given support to whatever government does on the issue of
removal of subsidy is a blatant lie. In the first place, the
leadership of the Labour Movement had held only one meeting with
the Federal Government on the issue of oil subsidy. This was on
Tuesday 20th December, 2011 and that meeting was not conclusive,
as it was agreed that a follow-up meeting will be called by the
Presidency.
Secondly, the outcome of that meeting was
immediately made public through a press statement, and up till
now, the presidency has not disputed its content. At the
meeting, the Labour Movement had noted that it was not only
impossible for the Federal Government to implement a fifth of
the projects outlined in the Subsidy Re-investment and
Empowerment Programme (SURE), but that the presentation by the
Presidency on the issue of oil subsidy “was simply a repetition
of the presentations made by the Babangida and Abacha regimes
and the Obasanjo administration, and that none of those promises
were kept”.
The report of that meeting as we have
stated, is in the public domain. We reiterate what we told
Government, that Labour and the people stand opposed to fuel
subsidy removal and hikes in the price of fuel. No amount of
blackmail, propaganda or intimidation will deter Nigerians from
reclaiming their country.
Tomorrow Wednesday 4th January, 2012, the
NLC and TUC will issue a clear directive on the date coordinated
nationwide general strikes, mass rallies and street protests
will commence, and the methodology of the protests.
Abdulwaheed I. Omar
President
|
