President of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero has said that the Congress is going to meet to review some commitments which President Bola Ahmed Tinubu made to them today, August 2.
President Tinubu, today, had an emergency meeting with the leadership of the Organised labour at the Presidential villa, Abuja, to address the issues that led to the nationwide protest which they embarked on today, August 2.
Answering reporters’ questions shortly after the meeting, Ajaero said that the issues discussed are the same issues that led to the protest today.
He said that the President however, expressed his position, made some commitment, which were taken side-by-side with what the Senate said to them earlier in the day when they marched to the National Assembly.
“And we’re taking it back to the office with our colleagues to review it and release a document on our next line of action.
“We have gone deeper into them. The President’s broadcast has broader issues, but there are one or two things that need immediate attention.”
The NLC President said that no one person can call off the protest, saying: “that’s why I say we’ll have to go back to the office so that they, the EXCO, will look at it before they come up. “And by tomorrow, the NLC will equally have their NEC meeting, to look at the bigger picture.”
On whether President Tinubu asked them to suspend the protest, Ajaero simply said: “the President is a pro-democracy activist. So he understands protests.”

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has submitted 19 more Ministerial Nominees to the Senate for screening.
The President had, last week, submitted 28 ministerial nominees, some of who have been screened and are being screened.
Those in the list submitted today, August 2, by the Chief of Staff to the Present, Femi Gbajabiamela are as follows:

1. Abdullahi Tijjani Gwarzo – Kano State
2. Simon Lalong – Plateau State
3. Bello Matawwalle – Zamfara State
4. Tunji Alausa – Lagos State
5. Adegboyega Oyetola – Osun State
6. Uba Maigari Ahmadu – Taraba State
7. Lola Ade John – Lagos State
8. Dr. Ishak Salako – Ogun State
9. Sen. Heineken Lolokpobri – Bayelsa
10. Dr Yusuf Tanko Sununu – Kebbi State
11. Prof. Tahir Mamman – Adamawa State
12. Zaphaniah Bitrus Jisalo – FCT
13. Sen. Ibrahim Geidam – Yobe State
14. Dr. Bosun Tijjani – Ogun State
15. Dr. Maryam Shetti – Kano State
16. Shuaibu Abubakar Audu – Kogi State
17. Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi – Niger State
18. Atiku Bagudu – Kebbi State
19. Senator Alkali Ahmed Saidu – Gombe State.

A truck belonging to the Dangote Group, driven by a motor boy, lost control and plunged into a house, killing three children and injuring their parents as they slept.
The incident occurred around 3 a.m. at No 162, Anguwar Juma, Zaria City.
A witness said that the truck driver lost control and rammed into the house of Mallam Abdu Zailani.
The deceased children were identified as Hadiza Haruna (14), Usman Haruna (9), and Saliha Haruna, while the injured mother was named as Rauhanatu Yusuf.
Sister of the injured man, Fatima Abdulkadir, recounted the horrifying moment, saying: “The incident occurred when we were all sleeping and suddenly heard a loud noise. We rushed to see what was happening and discovered that a truck had smashed into my brother’s room.”
The shocked family immediately sought help, recovering the lifeless bodies of the children and rushing the injured parents and another small boy to the hospital.
The truck driver, Mallam Abdullahi, was reportedly unaware that his 20-year-old conductor had taken the truck’s key and drove it with his friends when the accident happened.
He has since been arrested and is now in custody for interrogation, confirmed by the DPO of Zaria City, Kasim Abdul, who was at the scene.
A senior council member of the Zazzau Emirate and a neighbor to the victims, the Sarkin Fadan Zazzau, Alhaji Abas Ahmed Fatika, expressed his grief and pledged to ensure the culprit was brought to justice.
The tragedy has shaken the community and raised questions about the responsibility of the Dangote Group in ensuring the safety and proper management of their vehicles.
Source: City & Crime.

The United Kingdom Foreign Secretary, James Cleverly has said that it is in the interest of the UK to continue with strong partnership with Nigeria. ⁣
Cleverly, who spoke after conferring with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu today, August 2, at the Presidential villa, Abuja, said that the important reform of programme which President Tinubu had carried out so far “will make Nigeria an even more attractive destination for UK inward investment.”
⁣”We are committed to work even more closely still on important issues of defence and security of trade and investment. “And we are committed to ensuring the UK and Nigeria meet regularly and formally at the ministerial level and senior official level to ensure that the good strong foundation stone upon which the bilateral relationship is built is enhanced even further.”
He expressed confidence in the level of innovation that he had witnessed in the country, saying: “I think, Nigeria is a very strong platform for increasing its importance, both across the continent of Africa and globally.
“His Excellency, the President, made it clear that he saw the UK as a partner country for the future, and I’m very proud to ensure that we turn his desire for strong bilateral relationship into action.”
The UK scribe is excited that Afro beats has become one of Nigeria’s dominant cultural exports, “and I have the opportunity to see a recording studio where some of Nigeria’s most successful artists have made their careers.”
On the situation in Niger Republic, he said that the the UK welcome the ECOWAS’ decisive action, and President Tinubu’s strong commitment to democracy and the unambiguous message that violence is not the means to bring political change in any circumstance and that the commitment to democracy in Nigeria and in the region is unwavering.
“This very much support the UK’s position. We wish to see peace and democracy restored in Niger. And we will of course, continue to liaise with our strong friends in the region, membership of ECOWAS, of course, including Nigeria, as we seek to bring about stability, peace and democracy to Niger.” ⁣
⁣He thanked Nigeria for being a long-standing strong partner and looked forward to shepherding this relationship to even greater heights in the future.

Former Niger Delta militant leader, Alhaji Mujahedeen Asari Dokubo today, August 2, staged what looked like a protest countering the one being staged by the organised labour, led by the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), against fuel subsidy removal and economic hardships.
Our Reporter said that while the NLC mobilised its members to protest the hardship in the country, as a result of the removal of fuel subsidy, Asari Dokubo and some of his supporters were seen along a road in Abuja in solidarity with president Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Asari Dokubo was seen being cheered on by his supporters as they demonstrated in support of President Tinubu.
Many of the Dokubo’s followers carried banners in support of Tinubu with one of them saying that the mandate is from Allah.
Meanwhile, the Senate has set up an emergency 3-member committee to dialogue with the NLC/TUC leaders, after the latter forced themselves into the presmises of the National Assembly by bringing down the main entrance gate to the complex.

Members of the organised labour movement in Nigeria began a protest today, August 2, over the fuel subsidy removal and hike in petrol price, by pulling down the main entrance gate to the National Assembly, Abuja and forcing themselves into the premises as they chanted solidarity-songs.
Reports reaching us at Greenbarge Reporters online newspaper from Oyo showed that members of the labour movement attacked some workers who defied the call for protest.
The protest in Abuja was led by the national President of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Joe Ajaero, with the immediate past President of NLC, Comrade Ayuba Wabba in attendance.
Addressing the protesters in Abuja, Ayuba Wabba blamed successive governments for the failure to fix Nigeria’s oil refineries.
He wondered why the Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna refineries have not been fixed inspite of the many promises made by the federal government.
According to him, Nigeria is the only oil producing country in the world that does not have a single functional refinery, even as he accused the political elites and their businessmen collaborators of stripping the country of her wealth.
Wabba said that the rich few are holding Nigeria by the throat, and that they are milking the poor dry.
Our Reporter in Kano said the protest was carried out in peaceful march by the leadership of the organised labour and a few members.
However, in Oyo, protesting members of the NLC, stormed the state secretariat, beating civil servants who refused to join the on-going protest in the state.
The protesting NLC members are drawn from various ministries, which include judiciary, parastatals and other agencies.
Civil servants were beaten up by the protesters, under the watch of some labour leaders, disrupting activities in government offices for several hours, locking some in their offices.