Senators who came out to address the protesting members of the National Labour Congress (NLC) have asked for a one-week window to reach an acceptable resolution, which both parties will agree upon.
Senators Ali Ndume and Ireti Kingibe spoke to the protesters who marched into the National Assembly premises on Wednesday afternoon after commencing the protest at the Unity Fountain in the morning.
While speaking, Ndume asked the NLC to allow the Senate to get involved and pleaded that protesters could “beat them but not kill them.”
His words:
“If you are beating a person, you beat them to teach them a lesson; killing them will become a problem. So we are begging, beat us but don’t kill us.
“Please, Mr (NLC) President, give the Senate a chance; if we fail you, you can go back to your position.
“The Senate is going to get involved. Please just give us one week to resolve everything. Call off the strike for one week, and if we fail, then you can take further actions.”
Following the plea, the NLC leadership accepted and agreed to pause the protest for the one week requested by the Senate.
Ndume also asked that the NLC carry Nigerians along in their struggle for better treatment for all.
“I give you my word, and I will give the leadership your word as well. Ensure that you (NLC) should let Nigerians know what is going on, carry them along,” he said.
On her part, Senator Kingibe assured them that she would not allow the protesting workers to be cheated, emphasizing that she would represent them.
Before the Senators’ address, the NLC Chairman, Joe Ajaero, read out some of the demands of the NLC, which prompted the strike to the senators, after which he officially handed over the letter containing the requests to them.
