Naija News

For the fourth day, the nation’s capital, Abuja, was grounded by angry protesters who were adamant on the reversal of the petrol pump price to N65 from N141. The number of protesters also increased beyond the imagination of labour leaders President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Comrade Abdulwaheed Omar said labour will not go back on its demand for N65 per litre for petrol. As early as 6am, protesters trooped out in hundreds to protest ground. For about three hours, the protesters marched from Julius Berger Round about through Wuse Market axis, Zone 3, Zone 4, and Nnamdi Azikiwe Way to Area 1 where a rally was held. The presence of a former Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, among the protesters and an artiste, Charly Boy, added glamour to the protest. In spite of the fact that the crowd was well-behaved, policemen were armed to the teeth to prevent any security breach. The NNPC Mega Station in the city was protected with an armoured tank and more than 50 policemen. The protesters avoided the route to avoid any clash with security agents who might provoke the protesters. Addressing the rally in Area 1 before leaving for another dialogue session with the Senate, President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Comrade Abdulwaheed Omar said: “They said we are going to get tired. They said we cannot do it for more than two days. Today is the fourth day and we are increasing. Are you people tired? No. We must achieve our aim and we must achieve our aim through peaceful means. “We have been attending meetings especially with the Senate and the House of Representatives. On every occasion, we respect the mandate we are given by the people that the government must reverse back to N65. And that is what we have only discussed. We have not said that we have agreed to any price reduction. “What we are saying is that we have a mandate and we will continue with the strike until government reverts back to N65. We will not get tired. As I told you yesterday, we are likely going to change style as from next week. Maybe we will try and get a very strategic position to occupy in Abuja. And make sure we do not leave that place until the decision is reversed. President of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) Peter Esele, said: “We must not allow anybody in the guise of religion or ethnicity to divide us. We don’t want anybody to divide us. We have Christians here. We have Muslims here. Are we killing ourselves? No. “We must not allow them because petrol does not know Muslims or Christians. Poverty does not know Muslim or Christian. We must note that we have nothing personal against President Goodluck Jonathan but we have something against the policy. Our attention must be on the policy. “We are not here to overthrow anybody. We are here to let government know why we are here. This gathering is not a political gathering. The gathering is to let the government know that we Nigerians cannot be taken for granted. “Since we started this protest has been very peaceful. Please let us continue to maintain peace because if you go violent, then the state can also go violent. We will be leaving very shortly. I and Comrade Omar will be leaving very shortly. We are going for a meeting but on N65 we stand. Amidst standing ovation, a former Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, addressed the crowd. He said: “I stand here today to assure you that I stand by you at this time of trouble and affliction. It is not true that the ruling class is against the masses. There are many within the ruling class that oppose this evil system and despicable imposition of many upon the people of this nation in an attempt to make this country suffer unnecessary. “I will share something with you today which I think you should know. In 2006, the policy of withdrawal of oil subsidy was first proposed by the then Minister of Finance and many of us within ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo’s government looked at him in the face and said this will bring too much hardship on the state and therefore it should not stand. “Following the protest that time, Obasanjo stopped the policy from being implemented. Four years later, the same people, the same person who tried to impose it at that time advised this president to impose it after the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund came here to dictate to the President three weeks later, what to do. “They changed the tune and gave us this gift on New Year’s Day. “They removed the petrol subsidy in order to bring this nation to doom and I tell you today it will not stand. We would stand and support you. We will fight. We will hold our hands up high no matter what they cause, no matter what they do, we will join our hands together; Northerners and Southerners, Christians and Muslims. We will put our hands together and we will never let you down. “I want to call on the Emirs, Obas and religious leaders of this country and other political leaders to stand with the people. We are part of the system. I stand here with you shoulder to shoulder to say No to fuel subsidy removal and we would fight it to the end.”