Keyamo Tackles NLC Over Obi’s Vow To Remove Fuel Subsidy

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) has challenged the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to come out clean on its stand on the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate Peter Obi’s decision to remove fuel subsidy if elected next year.

The APC PCC threw the challenge in a statement by the party’s presidential spokesman, Festus Keyamo in Abuja on Saturday.

Keyamo, who is also the Minister of State, Labour and Employment, noted the LP flag bearer had in the recent past publicly vowed to totally remove subsidy on petrol if elected President, a position the leadership of NLC had persistently opposed.

The APC Campaign Council wondered how the organised labour, whose leadership on Monday at a national retreat of the opposition Labour Party promised to mobilise its members across the 774 local government areas to ensure victory for Obi’s presidential ambition, can justify its long-standing opposition to the removal of the subsidy.

The APC Presidential Campaign Council demanded from the NLC leadership if it had discussions with the LP candidate on the issue of removal of fuel subsidy before the blanket support offered the opposition candidate.

The statement reads: “We note that the leadership of the organized labour under the aegis of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Monday, September 13, 2022, at a national retreat of the Labour Party in Abuja, promised to mobilise its members across the 774 local government areas in Nigeria to ensure victory for Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, in next year’s presidential election.

We also note that in several interviews he granted in the last few months and weeks, Mr. Peter Obi has vowed to totally remove subsidy on petrol if elected President. We also note NLC’s long-standing opposition to total removal of fuel subsidy. Other left-leaning supporters of the Labour Party were also present at the event to cheer Mr. Peter Obi.

“Consequently, the following questions are urgently begging for answers by the leadership of the NLC:

*. Before adopting Mr. Peter Obi as its candidate, did the leadership of the NLC have a discussion with him on the issue of removal of fuel subsidy?

*. If they did have that discussion, did Mr. Peter Obi agree to back down on the issue of subsidy removal? Was that a basis for supporting him? If he did not back down on the issue, did organised Labour agree with him?

*. If no such discussion held, does it mean the leadership of the NLC now fully supports the removal of fuel subsidy? Or will that not be reckless of the NLC to adopt a candidate without thoroughly interrogating the candidate on his policies as they affect the Nigerian workers or the masses? The NLC must make a public statement and come clean on this.

*. If the excuse is that Mr. Peter Obi has said that the money saved will be used in other critical areas of the economy, how is that different from what the Buhari’s Government is also saying? ”

“These questions have become necessary because Nigerians deserve to know whether organised Labour’s adopted party, which is the Labour Party, supports and promotes a policy that the leadership of Labour opposes in another breath when it is adopted by the government of the day. They cannot be blowing hot and cold. ”

Keyamo who promised that the APC PCC would ensure issue-based campaign then tasked the media to interrogate the organised labour by ensuring that they come out clean on their position on fuel subsidy removal.

“We call on all members of the 4th Estate of the Realm not to sweep this point under the carpet and to thoroughly interrogate the NLC and the Labour Party on the one hand; and the seemingly right-leaning supporters of the Labour Party and Mr. Peter Obi on the other, on this issue so that they will come clean before Nigerians,” Keyamo demanded.