News
President Tinubu pleads for more time as NLC issues strike notice
President Bola Tinubu, on Wednesday, in Abuja appealed to the organised labour to avail him more time to consider their grievances before embarking on any nationwide strike.
This is just as indication emerged that the Federal Government may enforce the court order restraining the organised labour from embarking on a strike over the withdrawal of fuel subsidy in May should the Nigeria Labour Congress make good its threat on August 2.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, disclosed Tinubu’s plea to State House Correspondents after leading some officers of the House to brief the President on the outcome of their engagement with the National Association of Resident Doctors, which has declared a nationwide strike.
At about the same time, following the threat by labour, the Federal Government on Wednesday evening held an emergency meeting with the organised labour comprising of the NLC and the Trade Union Congress at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
But briefing reporters, Abbas said Tinubu appealed that being new in office, he needs time to evaluate the issues raised by workers over which as he is yet to be briefed.
Abbas said, “What he (Tinubu) said is that he’s just coming on board. We should ask them and beg them to please give him a little more time.
“The things that they mentioned, he is completely unaware of them, he is yet to be briefed about all those issues.
“But from what he heard from me, he also advised that we should channel some of those issues to the Chief of Staff to look at them one after the other. I believe the next coming days, some concerted actions will be taken.”
The Speaker explained that the House leadership invited NARD following their intention to go on strike, saying that the lawmakers succeeded in persuading the union to shelve the plan.
“Sequel to the meeting we had with them, there were series of conditions that they gave, that we felt we need to share with the President,” he revealed.
Asked what the House was doing to restrain the Nigeria Labour Congress from proceeding with the August 2 protests, Abbas said, “In the same manner, the same way, we will also invite them to come and sit so that we hear their grievances and then we follow the same pattern of engaging and persuading them to give us a little time so that we can be able to meet their expectations.”
Meanwhile, the House leadership’s meeting with the President was held as leaders of the NLC and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria met with the Presidential Steering Committee on Palliatives set up by the Federal Government.
However, the meeting failed to convince the labour leaders to shelve their plan as they insisted on proceeding with the protest slated for August 2.
Wednesday’s meeting, which took place in the office of the President’s Chief of Staff, was attended by labour delegations led by the NLC President, Joe Ajaero and his TUC counterpart, Festus Osifo.
It was in continuation of the June 19 meeting over the initial increase of the petrol pump price to N520 per litre.
Addressing journalists after the meeting, Ajaero said, “We are going ahead with the protest because we have to be emphatic on what we put in our communique, to say we are commencing protests from August 2.”
On his part, the TUC President, Osifo, said both sides listened to the presentations from the Steering Committee secretariat and labour made its input afterwards.
He said, “Some of the things they presented, we did not agree with them. So, the areas we did not agree on, we also made our inputs known because when you come to such a meeting, it is for the government or its representatives to do a presentation.
“But it’s left for us to either agree or disagree. So, during the meeting, we gave them sufficient feedback. And they also agreed to go and look at those feedbacks and get back to us on Friday.”
However, the Special Adviser to the President on Energy, Olu Verheijen, said the discussions achieved some progress in negotiations.
She explained: “We’ve agreed to continue to make progress. It was a very productive meeting.
The Federal Government has officially declared Thursday, October 1, a public holiday across the country to commemorate Nigeria’s Independence Day anniversary.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the government directed all ministries, departments, and agencies of government, as well as private sector organisations, to observe the day as a work-free day. The declaration follows the long-standing tradition of marking October 1 as a national holiday in celebration of the nation’s independence from British colonial rule on October 1, 1960.
The announcement comes as Nigerians prepare to reflect on 66 years of nationhood. Independence Day remains one of the most significant dates on the national calendar, serving as a moment for citizens to honour the sacrifices of the founding fathers and to reaffirm commitment to unity, peace, and progress.
Government officials have urged Nigerians to use the holiday to engage in peaceful celebrations, community activities, and patriotic reflection. Security agencies have also been directed to maintain law and order throughout the period to ensure a peaceful observance of the anniversary.
As the nation marks another year of independence, the Federal Government called on all citizens to remain committed to the ideals of democracy, national cohesion, and sustainable development.
President Bola Tinubu has ended his working vacation in Europe and departed Paris for Nigeria on Tuesday, with his aircraft expected to land at Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos later in the evening.
The announcement was made by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga. Tinubu left Abuja on August 30 for what was initially billed as a three-week working vacation.
He spent one week in London before proceeding to Paris. The trip was later extended, bringing his total time abroad to about 30 days.
The President chose to return through Lagos rather than Abuja to honour the memory of the late Chief MKO Abiola, the presumed winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election.
On Independence Day, October 1, he is scheduled to attend the premiere of a movie celebrating Abiola at the Wole Soyinka National Theatre in Iganmu, Lagos.
While in Lagos, Tinubu will hold strategic meetings with political leaders and associates over several days as preparations for the 2027 general elections intensify. He is expected to return to Abuja after those engagements.
During his stay in Paris, the President attended a private dinner with French President Emmanuel Macron and held meetings with business leaders, including Vincent Bolloré of the Bolloré Group.
He also met with First Holdings Chairman Femi Otedola and witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Ogun State Government and DP World for a deep seaport and Blue Marine Economic Zone.
The National Assembly plans to translate Nigerian laws into Igbo, Hausa, Yoruba and other indigenous languages as part of a broader effort to digitise parliamentary records and make legislation more accessible to citizens.
Henry Nwawuba, Executive Secretary of the National Assembly Library Trust Fund, announced the initiative on Monday in Abuja while declaring open the 2026 National Assembly Library Week. The event was themed “Parliamentary Memory: Connecting Records, Legislation and the People.”
Nwawuba said the translation would help more Nigerians, especially those not proficient in English, understand the laws that affect their daily lives. He described the library as the knowledge infrastructure of the legislature and a repository of its institutional memory.
The move forms part of a digital overhaul that includes upgrading the e-library, creating electronic repositories, developing a National Assembly Library mobile application, and introducing a Bills Tracker to allow the public to monitor the progress of proposed laws in real time.
The library will also produce infographics, audiovisual materials and short video explainers to simplify bills, Acts and legislative procedures. Officials said the upgrades would help curb the spread of fake or unverified legislative documents online.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio, represented by Senator Osita Ngwu, and Speaker of the House of Representatives Abbas Tajudeen, represented by Professor Julius Ihonvbere, both stressed the need for lawmakers to use the digital tools while prioritising cybersecurity.
FG Declares October 1 Public Holiday to Mark Independence Day Anniversary
UPDATE: Malindi Court Declines to Halt Dangote Refinery Launch in Lamu
JUST IN: Tinubu Departs Paris for Nigeria After Extended Vacation
Tech Expert, Zuckerberg trains with UFC champions, Adesanya, Alexander
Organ Trafficking: Ekweremadu bags 10 years in UK prison
SAINT OBI: Between his marriage and his death
-
Business2 days agoSEC Highlights Focus of National Capital Market Conference 2026
-
Business2 days agoNGX Debuts Invest WhatsApp Channel
-
Sports2 days agoFlamingos win WAFU B U-17 women’s tournament
-
Business2 days agoNaira To Dollar, Pound, Euro …Today, September 28
-
News2 days agoJUST IN: Fire Engulfs Lagos Customs Command Office
-
Business2 days agoGhana Moves to Cut Domestic Airfares as Ticket Prices Stay High
-
News2 days agoNigeria is 66, Thursday October 1
-
Entertainment2 days agoMadonna and Taylor Swift win big at the MTV VMAs