The Presidency has rejected allegations made by the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Joe Ajaero, accusing President Bola Tinubu of betraying labour leaders by increasing the petrol pump price. Ajaero had claimed that the fuel price hike violated an understanding reached during minimum wage negotiations.
NLC’s Allegations:
On Tuesday night, Ajaero accused President Tinubu of reneging on an agreement where labour leaders had accepted a national minimum wage of N70,000 instead of their original demand of N250,000. According to Ajaero, this agreement was made with the assurance that petrol prices would not be increased.
Presidency’s Response:
In response, Abdulaziz Abdulaziz, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Print Media, dismissed Ajaero’s claims as “dirty politics.” Abdulaziz, who attended the two meetings between President Tinubu and labour leaders, stated that no offer was made in exchange for a fuel price increase.
In a statement on his verified X handle (@Abdulfagge), Abdulaziz said, “I sat through the two meetings President @officialABAT had with Labour leaders on minimum wage. At neither of the meetings was an offer made in exchange for a fuel price hike. Ajaero is once again playing his dirty politics with the emotions of Nigerians.”
The controversy follows a recent increase in the petrol pump price by the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) from N617 to N897 per litre. The Presidency’s response aims to counter the narrative of a breach of trust between the government and labour leaders.
