For the first time since he became president, GEJ fails to personally attend May Day rally

For the first time since Goodluck Jonathan became Nigeria’s substantive president, he missed the May Day Celebration which held at the Eagle’s Square in Abuja.

He was represented at the event by the minister of labour, Senator Joel Ikenya. Senate president, David Mark, and House speaker, Aminu Tambuwal, who were also invited, did not attend and did not send representatives.

Labour leaders at the event said that the non-provision for fuel subsidy in the nation’s budget this year is a booby-trap and a recipe for disaster.

Widespread media reports this week stated that the senate made no provision for subsidy. Chairman of the finance committee, Ahmed Makarfi, however explained that they did, even though it was a much more reduced N143bn.

Factional presidents of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Ayuba Wabba, and Trade Union Congress, Bobboi Kaigama, spoke for Labour at the event, with the theme, ‘The working class, democratic consolidation and economic revival: Charting the way to national rebirth’.

They said the event coincided with the one year anniversary of the attack by the insurgent group, Boko Haram, in Nyanya, an outskirt of Abuja, in which some workers returning home from the last year’s May Day celebration lost their lives.

They recalled that similar “booby-trap” of non-provision for fuel subsidy in the budget was set for the then new administration of the late President Umar Yar’Adua and reminded leaders that in 2007, the non-provision for subsidy led to a nationwide strike just one month into the new government.

They also disclosed their intention to engage the incoming administration on the need to increase the national minimum wage as soon as it was inaugurated.

Senate President David Mark, and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Aminu Tambuwal, who were both scheduled to deliver goodwill messages at the event, were absent and did not send representatives.