BY Mary Tom
It is no longer news that several coalitions of Civil Society Groups in sync with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) are neck deep in clandestine moves and meetings with the singular item agenda of inciting their members, affiliate unions, and civil society partners albeit on false and cooked up allegations against the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) and the Federal Government preparatory to mobilizing the same crowd for its planned January 27 and February 1 nationwide protests against the proposed removal of fuel subsidy by the Federal Government.
Agreed that this is a democracy and the citizenry is entitled to its full and undiluted rights to freedom of speech and gathering. At the same time, these should not be embarked upon on the altar of falsehood.
Democracy thrives well when the rules of law are adhered to.
There is a Petroleum Industry Act 2021 in place that has within its tenet made it illegal for the Federal Government to operate fuel subsidy.
Going against this would tantamount to presenting one’s self as being disrespectful to the laws of the land.
The NLC membership and its affiliate groups and partners certainly would not want Nigerians and the international community to adjudge them as pretending to be above the law.
The authorities cannot act otherwise; if they do, it surely would be a collosal breach of the Constitution for the NNPC Limited to subsidize petroleum products after its inauguration as a Limited Liability Company under the Petroleum Industry Act.
As we pointed out earlier, the NLC has the constitutional rights of gathering, so it is not out of place for them to roll out their arsenals and ask its affiliates nationwide to mobilize their members for the rallies.
There is no gainsaying that there might possibly actualize an above-average compliance across the length and breadth of the country.
But it is often said that those who go to equity should do so with clean hands. And this is what should bother the conscience of the NLC as its members should without bias ask the leadership the basic narratives for the planned protest.
The affiliates should equally ask and be properly lectured on the constitutional bullet points of Subsidy Removal.
In the event this cannot be truthfully accessed, the leadership of the NLC should for the love of the country, humble itself and approach legal institutions especially in the oil and gas sector of our economy to seek legal interpretations of the PIA; and thereafter make a holistic resolution on whether or not to mobilize its membership and embark on a protest that might end up creating more hardship and misfortunes for the common man.
The subsidy removal sure has its avalanche of merits and demerits, but available facts and figures show that the merits will ensure a better life for Nigerians.
Or what does the NLC really want?
Mary Tom is the publisher of Fast Track News , can be reached via 08136039179 , Email – mtmariana 19@gmail.com
