Reportedly, on Wednesday, June 7, 2023, the President of the Nigeria Labour Union (NLC), Joe Ajaero, gave directions to Nigerian workers proposing an indefinite strike action over the effects of the loss of gasoline subsidy. In an interview with AIT, political affairs expert Chuks Akunna explained why certain public figures suspect that the NLC’s strike notification was motivated by politics rather than worker safety.
He claims that the petitions disputing the results of the 2023 presidential election could be delayed as a result of the walkout. The election tribunal, he said, has 180 days to issue its ruling, but the planned prolonged strike could delay court hearings, so it might not be able to do so on time.
Some fear that the decision of the ongoing presidential election petitions tribunal could be affected by the NLC strike. If we look at the electoral statute, we see that the tribunal has 180 days to gather testimony and render judgement, leading some to speculate that the government may have laid a booby trap for labour.
If we do the maths, we see that there are roughly 104 days left. There is concern that a verdict won’t be issued within the required 180 days if NLC goes on strike. After 180 days, if a ruling has not been issued, the petition is considered moot. The NLC is under fire for allegedly being utilised as a strike weapon by political factions.
