Questions NLC Must Answer On Peter Obi- APC Campaign Council

The All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council, APCPCC, has questioned the rationale behind the endorsement of Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, by the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, with regards to the contentious issue of subsidy removal on petroleum.

The NLC has spoken against fuel subsidy removal and various times threatened to ground the country if fuel subsidy was removed.

Obi has stated he is favourably disposed to removing fuel subsidy, to free money for use in key areas of the economy.

The Muhammadu Buhari administration’s stance that the subsidy regime running to billions of naira year-on-year was not sustainable has not received the expected support from the organiser labour prompting the APCPCC to ask why the party would endorse a candidate who has sounded it clearly that he will remove subsidy.

A statement issued on Saturday, by the APCPCC spokesman and Minister of State for Labour, Festus Keyamo, accused the NLC of double standards.

He challenged the NLC to disclose its current position on the issue since it has adopted Obi for the 2023 presidential election.

“We note that the leadership of the organized labour under the aegis of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Monday, September 13, 2022, at a national retreat of the Labour Party in Abuja, promised to mobilise its members across the 774 local government areas in Nigeria to ensure victory for Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, in next year’s presidential election.

“We also note that in several interviews he granted in the last few months and weeks, Peter Obi has vowed to totally remove subsidy on petrol if elected President.

*We also note NLC’s long-standing opposition to the total removal of fuel subsidy. Other left-leaning supporters of the Labour Party were also present at the event to cheer Peter Obi.

“Consequently, the following questions are urgently begging for answers by the leadership of the NLC:

“Before adopting Mr Peter Obi as its candidate, did the leadership of the NLC have a discussion with him on the issue of removal of fuel subsidy?

“If they did have that discussion, did Peter Obi agree to back down on the issue of subsidy removal? Was that a basis for supporting him?

“If he did not back down on the issue, did organised Labour agree with him?

“If no such discussion is held, does it mean the leadership of the NLC now fully supports the removal of fuel subsidy?

“Or will that not be reckless of the NLC to adopt a candidate without thoroughly interrogating the candidate on his policies as they affect the Nigerian workers or the masses?

“The NLC must make a public statement and come clean on this.

“If the excuse is that Mr Peter Obi has said that the money saved will be used in other critical areas of the economy, how is that different from what Buhari’s Government is also saying?”

He explained that these questions have become necessary “because Nigerians deserve to know whether organised Labour’s adopted party, which is the Labour Party, supports and promotes a policy that the leadership of Labour opposes in another breath when it is adopted by the government of the day.

“They cannot be blowing hot and cold,” Keyamo added.