In the strongest language ever employed by organized labour against a sitting government in Nigeria, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), today called the presidency of President Goodluck Jonathan a liar.

In a press statement in which the NLC held the Jonathan liable for murder in the death of an anti-fuel price hike protester in Ilorin, its President, Abdulwahed I. Omar, described as a “blatant lie” the claim by presidential spokesman Reuben Abati that Labour is in support of the subsidy removal.

“No one would have believed that the revered office of the President could stoop so low to tell a lie,” Mr. Omar said, and announced that tomorrow, the NLC and TUC will issue a clear directive on the upcoming coordinated nationwide action against the new policy.

Concerning the killing in Ilorin today, he recalled that the NLC previously cautioned the Jonathan administration against the use of brute force and arms against unarmed Nigerians who publicly demonstrate their rejection of its murderous policy of hiking fuel prices by between 120 and 200 per cent.

The yet-to-be-identified victim was shot near the Post Office in central Ilorin, Kwara State, and left on the street without any medical attention by the police which might have saved his life.  The NLC said the armed policemen responsible were from the Area A Division, close to UBA Ilorin and the State Police Command along Sulu Gambari Road, Ilorin.

“The Police is directly under the control and command of the Presidency and it is the Jonathan administration’s inhuman policy that has resulted in the murder of an innocent citizen,” the statement said. “The NLC holds the Jonathan administration liable for this murder and advises it to fish out its agents who shot protesters in Ilorin and bring them to justice.”

On the Justice Belgore committee set up yesterday by Jonathan purportedly to dialogue with Labour, the NLC leader described it as “an afterthought and meant to give Nigerians the impression that the Government wants to consult Nigerians.”

Tracing labour’s previous contacts with the government on the issue, Mr. Omar said as follows: “First, the Presidency had invited Labour to a follow-up discussion on the issue of fuel subsidy removal only for it to abort the process by removing the subsidy.  Secondly, it announced to Nigerians that it was consulting them on the issue only for it to announce new PMS prices. 

Thirdly, the government announced that even if the subsidy is to be removed, it will be from April 1, 2012 only for it to carry out same on January 1, 2012.”

He noted further that the attacks on peaceful demonstrators, the arrests in Abuja and today’s murder of a peaceful protester by the police do not portray a government that is interested in dialogue and peaceful negotiations.

With reference to the Christopher Kolade Committee on the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme, Mr. Omar said Labour was seeking a legal opinion as to the constitutionality of spending public funds without appropriation by the National Assembly.