THE Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has appealed to the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) not to go on strike over petrol subsidy removal.
Recall that on May 29, 2023, during his inauguration speech, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu announced the removal of petrol subsidy is gone, which led to the resurfacing of long lines at fuel stations and an increase in the pump price of the product all over the country.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) then issued a five-day ultimatum to the Federal Government to revert to the old price of petrol or face a nationwide protest on Wednesday, June 7, 2023.
Meanwhile, after a post-inauguration church Thanksgiving service on Sunday, June 4, 2023, while speaking with reporters, Sanwo-Olu implored labour leaders to join hands with the present administration, stating that the subsidy removal is in the interest of all Nigerians and urging them to support President Bola Tinubu to run the affairs of the country creditably.
He said: “We are thankful that Mr President is a product of Lagos. We will pray for him and everything that he stands for. We believe he will replicate all the good things he has done in Lagos in our country, Nigeria.
“I want to wish and plead with our citizens even as NLC has said to us that they want to go on strike. It is not the time for a strike. During the campaign trail, every one of our presidential candidates did say that the first thing they are going to do is to remove the subsidy. So, what has changed? What has the current president said or what has he done that is different from what any of the other aspirants said they would do?
“We need to be very patient. He (President Tinubu) has not even done a week. So let us talk to ourselves and say that we shouldn’t turn it political. Let us wait and support this man. He had not done a week on the job. Let him go and reflect and at the sub-national level, we are willing to support him.”
Governor Sanwo-Olu also appealed to Nigerians, and the leadership of the NLC in particular, to support President Tinubu in his quest to deliver purposeful governance to the citizens.
