A group under the aegis of Concerned Nigerian Patriots (CNP), have accused the Labour Party (LP) of conniving with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) to deliberately provoke public unrest through their demand for an unrealistic minimum wage.
According to the group, the organised Labour outrageous minimum wage demand is a desperate attempt to disrupt the President Bola Tinubu’s administration, who won against their preferred candidate, Mr. Peter Obi of the Labour Party, in the last presidential election.
Briefing journalists on Tuesday in Abuja, the CNP chairman and former spokesperson of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) Alhaji Alfa Mohammed described the union’s proposed exorbitant wage increase of N250,000 as an invitation to economic turmoil and threat to democratic integrity.
He said, “The recent demands for an unrealistic minimum wage by the coalition of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the Trade Union Congress (TUC), and the Labour Party (LP) pose a significant risk of plunging Nigeria into another recession, exacerbating the economic challenges that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration has been diligently working to overcome.
“This coalition’s agenda appears to be a deliberate attempt to provoke public unrest and destabilize the government. By advocating for a wage increase that is not financially viable, they risk inciting chaos and anarchy, which could undermine our hard-earned democracy. Their plan includes a total shutdown of essential infrastructure under the guise of fighting for a living wage, potentially crippling the nation’s economy and disproportionately affecting the most vulnerable citizens.
“It is important to note that this coalition, which supported Mr. Peter Obi, in the last presidential election, is not inherently a threat to democracy or economic recovery. However, their apparent desperation to disrupt the current administration following their candidate’s loss to President Tinubu is concerning. This group, often referred to as the Obidients, has repeatedly mobilized protests, attempting to make the country ungovernable at every opportunity.
“Their insistence on a minimum wage initially set at ₦605,000, then ₦494,000, and now ₦250,000, is part of a broader strategy to force the government into adopting an economically unfeasible policy. Such a wage hike would likely lead to severe inflation, increased unemployment, decreased productivity, and greater economic hardship”.
The group however urged Nigerians to reject the wage demand and any further call for strike action by the union.
“We call on fellow Nigerians to reject unrealistic wage demands and support what the government and private sector employers determine to be realistic and sustainable wages.
“We also call on Nigerians to oppose disruptive strikes and insist on dialogue, and reject strike actions aimed at destabilizing the government.
“When a government is sabotaged, it is the masses who suffer the consequences. It is the responsibility of every citizen to support and pray for the success of our government, not to undermine it.
“We appeal to all Nigerians to support and pray for the administration’s efforts to achieve its lofty goals for our dear county, Nigeria”, the group added.
