The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, has warned that the NLC would disown the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, if he adopts the policies of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank if elected Nigeria’s President.
Ajaero made this statement during an interview with Channels Television on Tuesday, emphasizing that the NLC's position on the removal of petrol and electricity subsidies is non-negotiable. He expressed strong opposition to any Labour Party president implementing IMF policies, stating that such a leader would face resistance from the union.
Ajaero clarified that while Obi is the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, he must align with the NLC's agenda if elected, as the party's candidate does not dictate to the NLC. He emphasized that any divergence from the NLC's ideologies would result in the union disowning the candidate.
Regarding recent increases in electricity tariffs by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Ajaero called for an immediate reversal, attributing the hikes to inflation and currency devaluation. He criticized NERC for not considering the inflationary impact of tariff hikes, which often lead to further price increases.
Ajaero rejected NERC's recent reduction in tariffs after an initial increase, insisting that the commission and distribution companies must revert to previous rates. He called for negotiations involving labour unions and other stakeholders to find a sustainable solution to electricity pricing issues.
