The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has replied to the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, stating that the Union has the right to protest under the United Nations charter and the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
NLC said that it is well within its rights to protest against the continued stay of students at home, following failure of the authorities to reach an agreement with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, in a statement on Wednesday, stated that “it is elementary knowledge, that the right to peaceful assembly and protest is fundamental global right guaranteed by the UN charter on Human and Peoples right and the constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria.”
Wabba’s comment was in reply to a statement by the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, suggesting that a proposed NLC protest in solidarity with ASUU is illegal.
Reacting further, Wabba said the proposed march is not a solidarity protest, adding that the NLC is directly involved in the current dispute in the nation’s university system.
According to him, “all the four trade unions involved are affiliates of NLC. Secondly as citizens, our children have been out of school for 5 months, the majority are children of the working class and the less privileged, this alone should call for urgent action.”
He emphasized that all peaceful assembly is lawful and does not require any permission under the law.
According to him, in a democratic society such a statement as was uttered by the Minister is not consistent with the rule of law.
