A coalition of pro-democracy group under the umbrella of the Natives, has declared total war against the Joe Ajaero-led Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and any other entity threatening to scuttle the inauguration of President-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as the 16th Nigerian President on May 29.
A Northern group, Arewa Youth Assembly (AYA) had raised the alarm of plans by the leadership of the NLC in connection with some groups, to actualise the ulterior motive against Tinubu’s inauguration.
Ajaero had, in his May Day speech, hit the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) hard, accusing it of flawed general elections that produced Bola Tinubu as President-elect.
However, in an issued statement issued yesterday in Abuja, Supreme Leader of the Natives, Smart Edwards, warned that Nigeria is not a jungle or banana republic without law and order, insisting that Tinubu will be inaugurated in grand style contrary to all the threats.
The Natives, a coalition of different ethnic groups, cultures, languages and tribes across Nigeria with over 20 million members nationwide, claimed that NLC has lost credibility to speak for Nigerians since it chose to be partisan in the last general election.
The Supreme Leader maintained that Tinubu is not a novice and an accidental politician, but an accomplished political icon, a strategist and an asset to nation’s democracy, economy and global development.
“Bola Tinubu will be inaugurated in grand style as the 16th President of Nigeria.
The Natives are already rolling out drums as Nigeria prepares to witness the first opposition leader turned National Leader and elected as the 16th President of Nigeria. A comrade, a June 12 advocate, a Senator, a Governor, a negotiator of political power with all past and incumbent Presidents in Nigeria, a builder of men, mentor and supporter of the labour movement,” the Natives noted in the statement.
The group further cautioned those nursing plans to forment trouble before the inauguration, including the NLC to perish such thought.
“We are the Natives of all tribes and languages. We are the real voters and we can’t wait for Tinubu to be inaugurated as the next President of this country. So, we advise all and sundry to perish the thought of protests or scuttling the inauguration, but to galvanize their members and supporters to join in the progress ahead of us all. Asiwaju will be different and all he needs is our collaboration and Labour has a major role to play in this”, Edwards noted, in the statement.
