NLC suspends nationwide protest, issues March 13 ultimatum to FG

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has suspended its two-day nationwide protest.

The NLC had declared a two-day nationwide mass protest for February 27 and 28, over the economic hardship confronting millions of Nigerians since the removal of the petrol subsidy in May 2023.

The NLC and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), had on February 8, given a 14-day ultimatum to the federal government over the rising cost of living in the country.

A late night meeting on Monday between the federal government and NLC was not enough to convince the latter to shelve the nationwide protests.

On Tuesday morning, the protesters began their marches from the Labour House in Abuja and the Ikeja under-bridge in Lagos, while chanting solidarity songs and slogans.

Joe Ajaero, NLC president, and Omoyele Sowore, presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) in the 2023 election, led the Abuja rally.

But in a communique at the end of its national executive council meeting on Tuesday, the NLC said the objectives of the protest were achieved on the first day of the demonstration.

“Consequently, NEC-in-session resolved as follows: to suspend street action for the second day of the Protest having achieved overwhelming success thus attained the key objectives of the 2-day protest on the first day,” the communique reads.

“However, Nationwide action continues tomorrow with simultaneous Press Conferences across all the states of the federation by the state Councils of the Congress including the National Headquarters.”

The NLC NEC also resolved in its meeting, to “reaffirm and extend the 7-days ultimatum by another 7 days which now expires on the 13th day of March, 2024 within which the Government is expected to implement all the earlier agreement of the 2nd day of October, 2023 and other demands presented in our letter during today’s nationwide protest”.

“To meet and decide on further lines of action if on the expiration of the 14 days Government refuses to comply with the demands as contained in the ultimatum,” the communique reads.