Angered by the inaction of President Muhammadu Buhari and the anti-corruption agencies over the high-level of corruption uncovered at the Niger Delta Development Agency (NDDC), the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) and the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), labour has resolved to embark on a nationwide protest by next week.
Speaking during a media chat with journalists in Abuja over the weekend, the President of Trade Union Congress (TUC), Comrade Quadri Olaleye, has, therefore, called on all workers and Nigerians to prepare for a nationwide protest over unresolved issues of corruption in the country.
Already, the TUC President, who hinted that the nationwide protest will take place in the second week of August, disclosed that labour has already begun mobilization of the workers; while also working together with the civil society organizations across the country.
He pointed out that the congress, for example, has been meeting with all its states executives and the civil society organizations to sensitize their members and Nigerians on the protest, adding that the fight is for all Nigerians.
The TUC president said: We have had meetings with our state executives and other civil society organizations, we are on sensitization level now. The fight is for all of us. We cant fold our hands to allow the country to continue being run the way it is. We will give an ultimatum to the government.
When asked about the specific time of the action, he said: By the second week in August, we should be able to mobilise our people to move out to start that protest.
He regretted that President Buhari and the anti-corruption agencies have refused to take specific action especially on the NDDC and the EFCC, adding that the purpose of the protest, therefore, is to ensure that the Presidency take decisive action on the issue of corruption not only in NDDC, NSITF and the EFCC but all through the system of governance.
He said, Our aim for the protest is to enforce the Presidency and the anti-corruption agencies to take immediate action that would stop other people from going to that trade. They (President and the anti-corruption agencies) are all silent. We want to enforce them to take action immediately. If action is not taken, others will see it as an opportunity.
Comrade Olaleye pointed out that Labour is also a partner in running the economy of the nation, as the majority of the populace are workers.
NCF mobilizes for mass action over insecurity, poverty says President encaged, helpless
Also, leaders of the National Consultative Front, NCF, said they are mobilising for a nationwide mass action over political corruption, insecurity and poverty in the country on account of what they consider as President Muhammadu Buharis helplessness over the issues.
Led by Professor Pat Utomi, Alhaji Ghali Umar NaAbba, and Dr Yunusa Tanko, the NCF charged Nigerians to urgently team up with its emerging political movement and put an end to official corruption and flagrant abuse of public trust constantly playing out in Nigerias power centres, if the country is to survive the present rapacious political rip off and rape of its economy by the present rampaging ruling class.
Elders and members of the NCF include Prof Chidi Odinkalu,, Alhaji Shettima Yerima, Chief Bolaji Ayorinde, SAN, Comrade Isa Aremu, Dr Chris Ekiyor, Comrade Shehu Sanni, Sen Grace Bent, Mallam Dr Tanko Yunusa, Arch Ezekiel Nya Etok, Rt Hon Inuwa Garba, Prof Mrs Remi Sonaiya, HC Peter Ameh, Mr Segun Osinowo.
Others are Comrade Kassim Balarabe Musa, Lady Funke Awolowo, Mallam Abdulmamud Aminu, ACG Ali Abubakar Wakili, Mr Jude Feranmi, Hajia Kadijat Abdullahi, Comrade Alistair Soyode, Mrs Habiba Balogun, Mallam Nasser Kura, Lady Bunmi Lawson, and Mrs Jophia Gupar.
Head Publicity NCFront, Dr Yunusa Tanko, in a statement also said the group will set up Elders Advisory Council, flag off zonal structures, inaugurate strategic committees, and initiate grassroots circle of conscience ahead of formal launch of movement in January 2021.
The call to save Nigeria was made in a national address jointly issued on behalf of the Steering Leadership of the NCFront at the weekend by former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Ghali Umar Naabba and a two-time Presidential Candidate, Prof Pat Utomi, while felicitating with Nigerians and Islamic faithful on the occasion of the 2020 Eid Kabir celebration.
The statement read in part: All Nigerians of Conscience are again being passionately enjoined to stand up and join hands with the unwavering resolve of the National Consultative Front, NCFront to make the required sacrifices towards cleansing and sanitizing Nigerias centres of power and in smashing and flushing our prevailing corruptive political system being sustained by a tiny clique of power mongers and political merchants marauding as the countrys Leaders.
In view of the various unimaginable melodrama and macabre dance of corruption and chaos within the top echelon of the Nigerian political leadership and government, which has been exposing the cause of high-level insecurity and hunger in the country today, it has also become imperative for us as victims of the increasing misgovernance and official impunity to halt the festering rot and political Coronavirus in the countrys power centre.
Consequently, all of us as citizens of conscience should have no choice but to urgently rise in unison to utilize our collective power as a vast majority of united citizens capable of chasing out that clique of ruinous political cartel ravaging our commonwealth enabled by their self-serving capture of our Government and State, now being ruthlessly deployed to milking us to stupor, while riding roughshod on us as a people. It is for this reason that the ongoing nationwide consultations and mobilisation of the NCFront are being strategically deployed towards engendering a credible alternative political leadership and government for the Nigerian people through an all-inclusive nationwide mass resistance and action.
This is because a situation, where the President of Nigeria is caged and his office is being run by some unelected clique of proxies and power traders, operating without pretence to any form of mandate from the Nigerian people, is unfathomable and unacceptable and must be massively resisted and neutralized before we, as a country are all thrown into a major disaster and turmoil.
