PETER OBI: PETROL SUBSIDY AN ORGANISED CRIME

from petrol to gas, amongst many others.”

HURIWA’s Onwubiko added, “With this order, the judiciary is captured by a recklessly controlling administration going to court to stop civil and democratic liberties such as embarking on strike and protesting the senseless and notwell-thought-out subsidy removal which has caused Nigerians untold hardship amid skyrocketing food prices and inflation.

“Since NLC/TUC have abandoned the masses and are busy negotiating for themselves and their members who are less than five per cent of the working and struggling masses of Nigeria, the organised civil society community alongside the unemployed youths, and lovers of democracy should go ahead and organise and not agonise but to implement far-reaching civil disobedience actions including popular protests to reject the new pump price.

“The $800 million loan from the World Bank which the government and the organised Labour unions are discussing on how to share amongst themselves is just a drop in the ocean and wouldn't ameliorate the high costs of fuel, kerosene and diesel in Nigeria with over 100 million absolutely poor households ", Onwubiko stressed.

Civil Society Leaders, Activists Insist On Mass Protests

The United Action Front of Nigeria Civil Society, a coalition of civil society groups yesterday insisted that the planned mass protests would go on today.

The civil society groups comprising prominent activists in the country and Leaders of National Consultative Front, Free Nigeria Movement, Citizens Action Movement, Country First Movement, Citizens Unite For Democracy, EndSars Youths Movement, which among other mass movements, demanded for a reversal of the precipitate hike in petrol pump prices last week, alerted the public of their resolve to go ahead with the planned mass protests.

In a statement signed by the Director General (DG) of the National Consultative Forum (NCFront), for the United Action Front of Civil Society, Wale Okunniyi, stated that the protests would go on, "if the federal government fails to accede to our popular demand by the close of work on Wednesday, 7th June, 2023."

According to the statement, "This coalition of mass and youth movements of the Nigerian civil society following an emergency consultations of key leaders and activists today resolved that the suspension of strike action by Labour unions will not hinder us, as Nigerians, who are currently bearing the heat of the indiscretion of the Tinubu’s regime, from demonstrating our dissatisfaction with the ways families and households in the country have been suddenly plunged into mass impoverishment and sufferings through the gestapo hike of petrol pump prices by the government.

"So, we are compelled to challenge the insensitivity and dictatorship of the Tinubu’s government on the streets of Nigeria; as wage workers in formal employment of government are just 10 per cent of the work force of Nigeria with the overwhelming majority in the informal private sector."

Accordingly, the group stated: "Again, given the unprecedented unemployment and economic decline in Nigeria, it's already certain that crimes for survival and insecurity will assume an anarchical dimension, if the outrageous prices of fuel foisted on ordinary Nigerians, is not immediately reversed to N167 per litre to allow for peaceful consultations with various segments and stakeholders in charting and consummating the best modalities and economic alternative for the current exploited subsidy regime; as Tinubu Kitchen Cabinet must be made to realise that they're not leading a military junta in Nigeria but a constitutional democracy."

Furthermore, the statement added, "We make bold to buttress even Babangida, who led a military autocracy was cleverly consultative in his approach to national emergencies notwithstanding his occasional Machiavellian instinct.

"So, it's very embarrassing and disappointing to see a Tinubu nurtured by pro-democracy organisation such as NADECO of the civil society suddenly degenerate into a turncoat of a dictatorial ruler so early in government.

"However, we have resolved to prove that the people, the masses and the youths own Nigeria and this fact shall be proven peacefully on the streets of Nigeria after Wednesday if government fails to listen to the people."

As a matter of fact, the statement continued, "this fight is beyond the NLC and TUC as they only represent an infinitesimal percentage of the Nigerian working people, while the vast majority of the people currently bearing the burden and brunt of the prevailing conspiracy of the rich and powerful associated with government, are in the civil society and the private sector.

“So our civic space can not to rely on Labour alone for national economic response to state decapitation of the Nigerian people.

"The truth is that only about 10 per cent of Nigerians are government's wage earners. Majority are in the informal sector. The knocks and effects of this outrageous hike will be far devastating on the poor, weak, vulnerable, powerless and impoverished people in the informal sector of our civil society.

"As the conscience of our country, what we expect and demand from government before any considered hike in petrol pump prices arising from subsidy removal is a national consultative commission of critical stakeholders in the civil society, Labour, private sector and government to drive national consensus on what amount of subsidy is to be removed from our petrol pricing?”

In view of this, the coalition of civil society groups stated, "we call on all concerned and affected Nigerians to come out and join the planning of this historic nationwide mass protests in the 36 state of the federation and Abuja.”