FG Dismisses Betrayal Claim Over Fuel Price Hike

FG Denies Betrayal Over Fuel Subsidy

“We recall vividly when Mr. President gave us the devil's alternatives to choose from...

Presidential aide refutes NLC's claim of petrol price agreement, accuses labour leader of 'dirty politics'.

Abdulaziz Abdulaziz, Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Print Media, has disputed the Nigeria Labour Congress's (NLC) claim that the Federal Government agreed not to increase petrol prices during minimum wage negotiations.

Abdulaziz criticized NLC President Joe Ajaero, accusing him of playing “dirty politics.”

The controversy follows the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited's (NNPCL) decision on Tuesday, September 4, to hike the pump price of petrol at its retail outlets.

“I sat through the two meetings President Tinubu had with Labour leaders on. minimum wage. At neither of the meetings was an offer made in exchange of fuel price hike,” Abdulaziz wrote.

“Ajaero is once again playing his dirty politics with the emotions of Nigerians.”

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) alleged that the Federal Government promised not to increase petrol prices during negotiations for a new minimum wage, but has since reneged on this commitment.

NLC President Joe Ajaero condemned the government's actions, accusing them of "betrayal" for raising petrol prices despite earlier assurances.

The NLC revealed that it accepted the N70,000 minimum wage proposal partly because the government assured them that petrol prices would remain stable, despite economic pressures.

“We recall vividly when Mr. President gave us the devil's alternatives to choose from: either N250,000 as minimum wage (subject to the rise of the pump price between N1,500 and N2,000) and N70,000 (at old pms rates). We opted for the latter because we could not bring ourselves to accept further punishment on Nigerians,” Ajaero said.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has responded to Abdulaziz's denial, with its spokesperson, Ben Upah, expressing surprise and amusement at the presidential aide's rebuttal.

“We have since asked ourselves if he is suffering from selective amnesia or attention span deficit,” the statement reads.

“Whatever the matter is with Abdulaziz, we stand by our statement.

“And if Abdulaziz was at those meetings as he claimed, he should be courageous enough to let the world know whether the President gave the labour leaders one hour to meet and resolve to either accept and allow increase or accept N62,000.

“Labour leaders instead chose to meet outside the Villa and report in a week. When they came back, they were blunt and rejected the offer.

“As for Abdulaziz's side-dig, he should stop insulting the intelligence of Nigerians as they do not need Comrade Joe Ajaero to know they have been taken for a ride and that life has never been this mean, all due to the policies of government.

”We also find it necessary to let Abdulaziz and those who sent him know that Nigerians are entitled to a decent, respectable life free from harassment, intimidation and starvation.

“Government may have all the ultimate weapons of coercion, true power resides with the people. Finally, we are also acutely conscious of the fact that falsehood does not live forever.”