The Presidency has firmly denied claims made by the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu betrayed labour leaders by increasing the petrol pump price after an agreement on the national minimum wage.
Ajaero alleged that labour leaders had accepted the new N70,000 minimum wage based on an understanding that the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) would not be increased.
In a swift response, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Print Media, Abdulaziz Abdulaziz, dismissed Ajaero’s allegations as “dirty politics,” aimed at manipulating public sentiment.
Abdulaziz took to his verified X (formerly Twitter) handle, @Abdulfagge, to refute the claims, stating that he was present at the last two meetings between President Tinubu and the labour leaders, and no such offer was made.
“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,” Abdulaziz tweeted.
He further criticized Ajaero for what he described as a deliberate attempt to mislead Nigerians, asserting that the NLC President’s claims were not rooted in fact.
Abdulaziz emphasized that no discussions linking the national minimum wage with fuel prices had taken place, countering the narrative put forward by Ajaero.
“Ajaero is once again playing his dirty politics with the emotions of Nigerians,” Abdulaziz added, highlighting the ongoing tensions between the government and the labour union amid economic challenges.
The NLC and other labour unions have been vocal in their opposition to recent economic policies, including the removal of fuel subsidies and the subsequent increase in petrol prices.
Ajaero’s latest accusation adds to the mounting pressure on the Tinubu administration to address the concerns of workers and the general public.