Fuel subsidies must go, Omokri questions labour’s affiliation with Peter Obi

Reno Omokri, a former aide to ex-president, Goodluck Jonathan, has accused the leadership of organised labour of harboring ulterior motives over its ongoing agitation against the removal of fuel subsidies.

Omokri stated this in a lengthy Twitter post on Wednesday, while noting that “Fuel subsidies must go, whether this present NLC likes it or not.”

He explained that the fuel subsidy regime plunged the economy into debt with nothing to show for it.

“Nobody should take us backwards to a Buhari era where we were borrowing to pay for fuel subsidies and tripled our foreign debt with nothing to show for it. Fuel subsidies must go, whether this present NLC likes it or not.

“This strike is unnecessary and very ill-timed, more so when Nigeria is facing a crisis in Niger Republic that could spill over into Nigeria and destabilise our economy and political institutions,” Omokri stated.

The political critic went on to raise some questions about the motives of Joe Ajaero, the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress while slamming his affiliations with the Labour Party and its presidential candidate, Peter Obi.

READ ALSO: Obi faults petrol subsidy removal without palliative measures

The tweet further read, “I may not support President Tinubu, but the palliatives and measures he announced two days ago were far-reaching and should have caused Labour and Ajaero to pause. But it didn’t. What is their agenda? This is about Nigeria, and it is time for us to be patriotic and do what is in the country’s best interest, no matter who is President.

“I am not sure that Ajaero would take this action if his friend, Peter Obi, were President. What exactly does Joe Ajaero want? Even his own home state of Imo has introduced palliatives. Should Nigeria continue to spend more on fuel subsidies than she spends on education, health, and housing? How is that economically viable? And can Mr Ajaero explain why the pump fuel price in neighbouring Benin Republic went up as soon as Nigeria ended fuel subsidies?”

“I am just wondering if it is possible for Joe Ajaero, who openly aligned with Peter Obi, to be politically neutral and act in the national interest. This protest and nationwide strike he has called for looks like a political stunt, especially considering that the current government has agreed to increase the minimum wage and that all major presidential candidates, except Kwankwaso, agreed that they would remove fuel subsidies. Including Peter Obi, who said they would go immediately.”

I am just wondering if it is possible for Joe Ajaero, who openly aligned with Peter Obi, to be politically neutral and act in the national interest. This protest and nationwide strike he has called for looks like a political stunt, especially considering that the current… pic.twitter.com/tLynG6OFlg

— Reno Omokri (@renoomokri) August 2, 2023

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now