The Presidency has clarified that President Bola Tinubu did not promise the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) that his administration would not increase the fuel pump price.
This statement was made by Abdulaziz Abdulaziz, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Print Media, on Tuesday in response to criticisms from organized labour, which claims the government has not honored its commitments.
The controversy began when NLC President Joe Ajaero called for an immediate reversal of the recent fuel price hike, claiming that the President had promised there would be no increase as part of the agreement reached when Labour accepted the ₦70,000 minimum wage.
Ajaero noted that during negotiations, Labour initially demanded a minimum wage of ₦250,000 but settled for ₦70,000 based on assurances that fuel prices would remain stable.
In a statement, Ajaero expressed a sense of betrayal, stating, “We are filled with a deep sense of betrayal as the federal government clandestinely increases the pump price of PMS.
One of the reasons for accepting N70,000 as national minimum wage was the understanding that the pump price of PMS would not be increased even as we knew that N70,000 was not sufficient.”
Ajaero also recalled discussions where President Tinubu presented two alternatives: either a ₦250,000 minimum wage with a fuel price increase to between ₦1,500 and ₦2,000, or ₦70,000 at the current rates. Labour chose the latter to avoid further financial strain on Nigerians.
In response, Abdulaziz accused Ajaero and Labour leaders of misleading the public and playing politics. He emphasized that during the two meetings President Tinubu held with Labour representatives, there were no discussions linking fuel price stabilization with the minimum wage agreement.
“I sat through the two meetings President Bola Tinubu had with Labour leaders on minimum wage. At neither of the meetings was an offer made in exchange of fuel price hike. Ajaero is once again playing his dirty politics with the emotions of Nigerians,” Abdulaziz wrote on his X (formerly Twitter) handle.
