By Daniel Edu

Salihu Lukman, the former national vice chairman (North West) of the All Progressive Congress (APC), has criticized the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) for their planned nationwide protest, alleging that they are politicizing the issue of fuel subsidy removal in the country.

In his statement titled “Silver Bullet Politics and Challenges of Democracy,” Lukman called on NLC boss Mr. Joe Ajaero to rise above narrow sentiments and avoid playing politics with the subsidy issue. He stated that the NLC’s position on the matter was unacceptable and could be detrimental to the nation’s democracy.

While Lukman acknowledged that there are gaps in the government’s proposed palliative measures for the fuel subsidy removal, he commended President Bola Tinubu for addressing the nation promptly. He noted that other presidents would typically wait until after protests to make such addresses but President Tinubu did not delay despite the hardships faced by Nigerians since the subsidy removal.

Lukman expressed the view that accommodating the diverse interests of Nigerians in policy design and implementation is crucial for finding solutions to the country’s problems. He emphasized the importance of representation and responsiveness in governance and cited that President Tinubu’s early address to the nation marked progress in managing contentious public policy.

He urged the government to engage various organized groups, including the NLC, in implementing the proposed initiatives. Lukman provided specific suggestions for engaging different sectors, such as the private sector, micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises, farmers, agricultural associations, and transporters, to ensure effective and transparent disbursement of funds and resources.

Lukman criticized the NLC’s response, dismissing the proposed measures as a “silver bullet” without sufficient consideration of their potential benefits. He urged the NLC leaders to demonstrate humility by engaging with academic and knowledgeable constituencies to enrich their policy discussions.

In conclusion, Salihu Lukman emphasized the importance of effective engagement and collaboration in addressing the challenges facing Nigeria, particularly concerning the removal of fuel subsidy and the subsequent palliative measures proposed by President Tinubu.