Again, NLC demands stabilisation of fuel price regime

Soji Ajibola, Yenagoa - 25.01.2008

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has renewed its opposition to any fuel price hike, asking the Federal Government to allow the current prices of the petroleum products to stabilise.

The body also called for the resignation of Professor Maurice Iwu as the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission. In his address delivered at the National Executive Council meeting of the NLC, its President, Comrade AbdulWaheed Omar, said the union would mobilise support for the sustainability of the current price of the petroleum products.

He said the NLC would continue to canvass and mobilise support for the stability of the current price regime of petroleum products. He stressed the need for the Federal Government to find the will and means to guarantee the current price of the prices of the petroleum products now and in the future.

As a way out, he advised the Federal Government to repair all the refineries and develop policy measures to ensure that more players participate in the local refining of petroleum products.

On the call for resignation of Professor Iwu, the NLC president said it became imperative considering the outcome of some of the petitions filed at the election petition tribunals across the country.

He said the rulings would help to instill integrity in the electoral process, but added that the nation would not be able to benefit from the rulings as long as electoral system remains corrupt, hence the need for the call for resignation of Iwu.

“The greatest danger and problem now is the current Chairman of INEC, Professor Maurice Iwu. With the way Professor Iwu presided over our 2007 elections, we cannot allow him to preside over future elections.”

The NLC helmsman, therefore, called on the National Assembly to exercise its power under Electoral Act to remove Professor Iwu because of his established incompetence and dishonest handling of the 2007 elections.

According to him, the implication of the nullification of some elections by the tribunals is that those who perpetrated the malpractices need to be brought to book.