The Nigeria Civil Society Forum has warned the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) against its proposed nationwide protest against hardship scheduled to hold on February 27 and 28.
The CSO forum said Nigerians should rather blame the state Governors for sabotaging of the federal government by embezzling the palliatives meant for the masses.
Addressing a press conference Thursday in Abuja, Convener of the Coalition, Dr. Godwin Abutu said while it’s a known fact that Nigerians are going through difficult times at the moment, the government has given assurances on a daily basis of rallying round the clock to ameliorate the sufferings of the people with different incentives.
The CSO forum said NLC chapters in the state where state Governors sabotaging federal government efforts, the Labour leaders have played the toothless bulldog scenario they are known for, and Nigerians keep suffering under their watchful eyes.
Dr. Abutu said: “While we are not worried over the empty and baseless threats to drag the government through the strike, we are once again concerned that this groups has always used these threats to collect gratifications from government and betray the people, a situation we are out to arrest this time as spokespersons of the masses of this country.
“Even though the NLC further contradicted itself by abandoning the wage negotiation table set up by the government to improve the wages of workers to go and embark on this macabre dance that has no head or tail. We expected the leadership of these trade unions to have contributed their opinions of how we would come out of this quagmire with such a privilege rather than embarking on this wild goose chase.”
The group emphasised that it was common knowledge that embarking on strike actions has not resolved any problem faced by the Nigerian masses recently.
The group, therefore, gave the NLC “24 hours to drop the idea of a warning strike and come to the round table where patriotic Nigerians are concerned and are doing everything humanly possible to make sure they curb hunger, stabilise currency and secure the people.
“We do not expect the leadership of NLC to pretend not to be aware that the warning strike won’t proffer any solution to our present predicament but rather satisfy only their ego and cash out from their sponsors and co-travelers.
“We demand the arrest and persecution of anyone that comes to sabotage the system and make our situation worse. This group has proven time and again that it is responsible in aiding our woes by always coming out in Defence of those sabotaging our system and frustrating the efforts of government. Only their prosecution and punishment can assuage the pains they have inflicted on our people.
“They may be enjoying the sympathy of opposition politicians and saboteurs now but that will not be forever, as they shall be brought to Justice sooner than later.As the members of the civil society have always reiterated there is no room for sabotage our country is all that we have and we must always do our best to make it grow.
” In the meantime, we urge Nigerian people to shun political differences and put aside any kind of sentiments to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR as he stands up to our enemies and follow legal means to protect our country.”
The CSO forum also urged the federal government to urgent come up with lasting solutions to the rampaging herdsmen terrorising farmers across the country.