The protest against the “anti-people” policies of President Bola Tinubu’s administration by Organised Labour has escalated, with protesters breaking down the first gate of the National Assembly (NASS) complex and forcefully entering the premises on Wednesday morning.

Following this, the protesters moved to the second gate of the Assembly Complex while Senators quickly entered a closed-door session.

Organised Labour, including the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC), and their affiliate unions, initiated the protest in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, as well as various states across the Federation, including Lagos, Abia, Plateau, Kaduna, Kano, Rivers, Zamfara, Katsina, Cross River, Ebonyi, Enugu, Kwara, Ogun, Imo, Ondo, and Edo.

Hundreds of protesters gathered at the Unity Fountain and marched to the NASS Complex.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio is expected to address the protesters before the ministerial nominees’ screening on that day.

Earlier, the NLC President, Joe Ajaero, declared at the Unity Fountain that “nothing is stopping the protest, not even an overture from the government.” He asserted that Organised Labour will not halt the protest until they receive a desired response from the government.

Ajaero emphasized that the response from the states will determine the continuity of the protest and stated, “it is not by using force.”

He also stated, “We are here for the protest and to make a statement that since we started negotiations, there is nothing we have in our hands.”

Meanwhile, on Tuesday, Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, issued a warning against “violent mass protests” across the country.

The fuel subsidy removal by Tinubu during his inauguration speech on May 29, 2023, caused petrol prices to soar from N184 to over N620, leading to a surge in food prices and general inflation.

Last week, the NLC issued a seven-day ultimatum to the Federal Government, demanding the immediate reversal of all anti-poor policies, including the recent hike in PMS (Premium Motor Spirit) price, an increase in public school fees, and the release of eight months’ withheld salary of university lecturers and workers.

The union also called for an upward review of the minimum wage from N30,000 to N200,000, stating that Nigerians’ peace of mind has been disrupted since the inauguration speech when the “subsidy is gone.”

Despite several meetings between the Presidency and the unions on palliatives for those suffering hardship due to the petrol subsidy removal, no agreement was reached.

The Senate and the House of Representatives’ intervention also failed to achieve success as the unions contended that the government’s palliative package did not address the economic realities faced by Nigerians.

In an attempt to appease the aggrieved unions, Tinubu, in a broadcast to Nigerians on Monday night, promised to review workers’ salaries and the minimum wage. He also announced a N75 billion palliative for the manufacturing sector and a N125 billion fund to energize the industry. Furthermore, Tinubu committed to investing N100 billion to acquire 3000 units of 20-seater CNG-fueled buses by March 2024.

However, the NLC immediately criticized the palliative measures, stating that the APC government’s programs were out of touch with the economic realities and hardships faced by poor citizens. They pointed out that Tinubu was silent on plans to resuscitate public refineries that have been inactive for many years.

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