* Workers draw battle line, prepare for ‘the worst’
The authority of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has withdrawn permission earlier granted organised labour to use Eagle Square in Abuja for their May day celebration, as part of activities marking International Workers’ Day.
The withdrawal was disclosed on Friday, during a pre-May Day lecture held at Pascal Bafyau Labour House.
Secretary-General of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Emmanuel Ugboaja, said the withdrawal was contained in a letter to the labour centre on Thursday by the FCT Minister through his administration’s agency.
According to him, the minister explained in the letter that the reasons for the withdrawal border on preparations at Eagle Square ahead of the May 29 inauguration of the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.
However, Comrade Ugboaja described the reason as ultra-lame, noting that the development is a pointer towards a no-rosy future for the struggle of the Nigerian working class.
He said even though the withdrawal has no implication on workers, they should brace up for a war cry on May Day and prepare for the worst.
He said: “They have withdrawn the permission and they don’t want to talk to us. The Minister of FCT has withdrawn our permission to use Eagle Square for the Mayday and clearly, he is speaking for his government. It means the Government doesn’t want to address the workers, so they don’t appreciate the work the workers have put in over the years and we will not fail to appreciate ourselves.
“The withdrawal has no implication on workers; the May day will hold but not in Eagle Square but the workers will mark their day from the NLC to every nook and cranny of Nigeria.
“The reason they gave was that they were renovating the Eagle Square for usage on May 29 and we find it to be ultra-lame, this is not the first time there will be an inauguration. We have had more than five to seven inaugurations in the past two decades and we have always held May Day in Eagle Square.
“The Minister of FCT through his agency sent us a letter yesterday. It’s workers’ day. We have sought permission to use a venue and it was granted to us and later withdrawn, so it has nothing to do with the Minister of Labour. If the withdrawal of our permission to use Eagle Square is a snippet of what they (workers) should expect, we are ready. The way we have adjusted to it will prove to them that we are ready for whatever they are going to throw at us.
“Workers should be prepared for the worst, the vindicators don’t point towards any rosy future if we don’t struggle. So, it’s going to be a war cry on May 1st, just for us to brace up to take the challenges we see coming forward.”