United Action Front of Nigeria Civil Society comprising of Prominent Activists in the country and Leaders of National Consultative Front, Free Nigeria Movement, Citizens Action Movement, Country First Movement, Citizens Unite For Democracy, EndSars Youths Movement, which among other mass movements, demanded for a reversal of the precipitate hike in petrol pump prices last week, wish to alert the country of our resolve to go ahead with our planned Mass protests if the Federal Government fails to accede to our popular demand by the close of work on Wednesday, 7th June, 2023

This coalition of mass and youth movements of the Nigerian civil society following an emergency consultations of key leaders and activists today resolved that the suspension of Strike Action by Labour Unions will not hinder us ,as Nigerians, who are currently bearing the heat of the indiscretion of the Tinubu Regime, from demonstrating our dissatisfaction with the ways families and households in the country have been suddenly plunged into mass impoverishment and sufferings through the gestapo hike of petrol pump prices by the government. So, we are compelled to challenge the insensitivity and dictatorship of the Tinubu Government on the streets of Nigeria; as wage workers in formal employment of government are just 10 per cent of the work force of Nigeria with the overwhelming majority in the informal private sector.

Again, given the unprecedented unemployment and economic decline in Nigeria, it’s already certain that crimes for survival and insecurity will assume an anarchical dimension, if the outrageous prices of fuel foisted on ordinary Nigerians, is not immediately reversed to N167 per litre to allow for peaceful consultations with various segments and stakeholders in charting and consummating the best modalities and economic alternative for the current exploited subsidy regime; as Tinubu Kitchen Cabinet must be made to realise that they’re not leading a military junta in Nigeria but a constitutional democracy.

Furthermore, we make bold to buttress even Babangida, who led a military autocracy was cleverly consultative in his approach to national emergencies notwithstanding his occasional Machiavellian instinct. So, it’s very embarrassing and disappointing to see a Tinubu nurtured by Pro Democracy organisation such as NADECO of the Civil Society suddenly degenerate into a turncoat of a dictatorial ruler so early in government. However, we have resolved to prove that the people, the masses and the Youths own Nigeria and this fact shall be proven peacefully on the streets of Nigeria after Wednesday if government fails to listen to the people.

As a matter of fact, this fight is beyond the NLC and TUC as they only represent an infinitesimal percentage of the Nigerian working people, while the vast majority of the people currently bearing the burden and brunt of the prevailing conspiracy of of the rich and powerful associated with government, are in the civil society and the private sector. So our civic space can not to rely on Labour alone for national economic response to State decapitation of the nigerian people. The truth is that only about 10% of Nigerians are government’s wage earners. Majority are in the informal Sector. The knocks and effects of this outrageous hike will be far devastating on the poor, weak, vulnerable, powerless and impoverished people in the informal sector of our civil society.

As the conscience of our country, what we expect and demand from government before any considered hike in Petrol pump prices arising from subsidy removal is a national consultative commission of critical stakeholders in the civil society, labour, private sector and government to drive national consensus on what amount of subsidy is to be removed from our petrol pricing? What amount of proceed and earnings will be earned or saved from the removal? What are the alternative economic measures to be applied in cushioning and ameliorating the harsh effects of subsidy removal? How and When will such measures be appropriately applied?

To this end, we wish to once and for the final time call on government to immediately revert to old price of PMS in order to be able to embrace and act on stakeholders and citizens extant content from the popular proposals of the Stakeholders consultative Committee rather than spend $800m world bank loan to pay N5,000 to 50 thousands Nigerians for six months as currently being bandied by Tinubu’s handlers

Signed:
For: United Action Front of Civil Society
‘Wale Okunniyi
(Veteran Che)
08033993867
DG, NCFront

NB: We call on all concerned and affected Nigerians to come out and join the planning of this historic nationwide mass protests in the 36 state of the Federation and Abuja. For support and further inquires, the public is expected to contact our National Coordinating Centre via 09028000222 and to note that a people united can never be defeated.