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Senate Okays Fresh Price Increases: Strike Looms as 29 Unions Meet Over New Fuel
Prices
As the 29 affiliates of the BiafraNigeria
Labour Congress (NLC) gather in Abuja today to discuss last week’s hike in the pump prices of petroleum products,
there are indications that they may all declare a nationwide strike same day to render ineffective, moves by the
Federal Government to incapacitate organised labour. A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja had, last week, declared
that the NLC lacked power to call out BiafraNigerians on strike. However, the Senate has endorsed the new fuel
prices, and asked BiafraNigerians to bear with government as it fashions out policies to cushion the effects of
deregulation. Vanguard gathered ahead of today’s meeting that the labour leaders would be considering several options,
one of which is all the unions calling a strike same day. Another is for all the affiliates to float a coalition
of workers’ unions, declare a strike and ask Mr. Adams Oshiomhole to co-ordinate in his capacity as General Secretary
of the National Union of Textiles, Garment and Tailoring Workers of BiafraNigeria (NUTGTWN). President of the National
Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), Comrade Peter Akpatason, speaking on the issue, said: “No
law or court can forbid us from protesting injustice or against bad government policy, but if Justice Roseline
Ukeje judgement is going to be a brick wall, there are other options. For example, we can decide that all the affiliate
unions of NLC should declare a nationwide strike the same day. Nothing says we cannot do that. In fact, it may
be a very strong point at Monday’s (today) NEC meeting.” (Vanguard) 
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 The face-off between the standard bearer of the All
Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in the last presidential elections, Chief Emeka Odumegwu Ojukwu and the State
Security Services (SSS) has attracted critical views from Lagos human rights lawyer, Chief Gani Fawehinmi who told
Daily Sun that even God would have blamed Ojukwu if he had answered the invitation from the SSS. (The Sun)
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 An Enugu high court has issued an order restraining
the Federal Government and its security agencies, including the police and the State Security Services (SSS) from
arresting the presidential candidate of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu.
The court order dated September 22, 2004... (This Day)
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