Politics
Nigerians descend on Omokri for linking Obi with NLC strike
Nigerians on social media have descended heavily on former aide to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Reno Omokri, after he linked the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, with the nationwide strike embarked upon by the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC).
In a post on his Facebook page on Monday night, Omokri had lambasted the president of the NLC, Joe Ajaero, saying the strike was uncalled for and would lead to the death of many premature babies following the shutting down of the national grid.
He however, shot himself in the foot as he went on to say Ajaero was working in ‘cahoots ‘ with Obi to frustrate and sabotage the government of President Bola Tinubu ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
“Do you know how many premature babies will die today because Joe Ajaero and his NLC shut down the National Grid? How many hospital emergency patients will perish? This is not a National Strike. This is a National Attack by the most politically exposed and partisan NLC President ever,” Omokri wrote.
“Ajaero is in cahoots with Peter Obi. And this is about 2027. Which country have you heard of where they shut down the National Grid as part of a strike? If there is a fire or emergency somewhere, what do we do? Nigerians ought to stand up against Joe Ajaero. He is taking the country down with him!
“How does shutting down the National Grid and putting Nigerians in darkness help the economy or workers? Aso Rock has generators. So does the National Assembly. Even Joe Ajaero has generators and is enjoying air conditioning.
“It is you that heat is finishing in your house. Meanwhile, factories cannot produce, and the economy is contracting.
“What you may not understand is that Federal civil servants are less than 0.3% of the population. If the NLC insists on an unreasonable ₦494,000 a month minimum wage, all that the FG will do is go on a massive sacking spree.
“The people who will suffer are the private sector, who employ more than 65% of Nigeria’s workers. Obviously, they will not be able to pay ₦494,000 a month and run their businesses profitably. So, they will increase prices for those not working and sack their workers, increasing unemployment.
“The NLC under Joe Ajaero knows that. They do not care. As long as they can sabotage the government and our economy to make Peter Obi look good, they will do it. It is all about 2027. It is not about you!”
READ ALSO:Reno Omokri justifies Tinubu’s appointment of son-in-law as FHA CEO
But his post did not go down well with a lot of Nigerians who flooded his page to disagree with him.
Read some of the responses here:
@Fav_Sugar_Zaddy: “Your own is just to tweet rubbish about Peter obi. That’s not the issue please, for once talk about something meritoriously without fear or favour or bias. Yes the minimum wage is very small coated to the cost of living in Nigeria, let’s leave politics out of this Mr Reno.”
Your own is just to tweet rubbish about Peter obi. That's not the issue please, for once talk about something meritoriously without fear or favour or bias. Yes the minimum wage is very small coated to the cost of living in Nigeria, let's leave politics out of this Mr Reno.
— Egbon Yoruba (@fav_sugar_zaddy) June 3, 2024
@AbdulkabeerAmbali: “How you form opinion around issues is shocking. What about the bloated government making life difficult for Nigerians? However unreasonable labour demands might see, govt is more insensitive to the plight of the public. Let’s be fair, please.”
How you form opinion around issues is shocking. What about the bloated government making life difficult for Nigerians? However unreasonable labour demands might see, govt is more insensitive to the plight of the public. Let's be fair, please.
— Abdulkabeer Ambali (@AbdulkabeerAmb1) June 3, 2024
@AladeMayo: “Do you know how many lives that we have lost due to bad governance, I won’t be surprised since the day you tweeted that you are posting against prof. Osinbajo so that APC would present tinubu as their flag bearer and it will be an easy win for PDP that osinbajo is the best..”
Do you know how many lives that we have lost due to bad governance, I won't be surprised since the day you tweeted that you are posting against prof. Osinbajo so that APC would present tinubu as their flag bearer and it will be an easy win for PDP that osinbajo is the best….
— Awon Alade (@AladeMayowa6) June 3, 2024
@BoiCadet: “Oga go and sit down. All ur post doesn’t pass Referring it to Peter Obi. If you don’t know what to say on this app… Pls let other pour their complaints
“Am sure this hardship is not affecting you that’s why.”
Oga go and sit down
All ur post doesn't pass Referring it to Peter Obi
If you don't know what to say on this app… Pls let other pour their complaints
Am sure this hardship is not affecting you that's why
— Ndubuisi Kingsley (@BoiCadet) June 3, 2024
@MindTalks: “2012 BAT & co organised a protest against fuel subsidy removal and increase of pump price
Today he has removed it & made things difficult for people.”
2012 BAT & co organised a protest against fuel subsidy removal and increase of pump price
Today he has removed it & made things difficult for people
— mind talks (@mind_talkss) June 3, 2024
@Westside: “Dear Mr @renoomokri , Have always supported u in all u do or say on social media but concerning this issue of minimum wage I give all my support to the union. Do u know how the workers are suffering huh ? My both parents were civil servant until they retired.”
Dear Mr @renoomokri , Have always supported u in all u do or say on social media but concerning this issue of minimum wage I give all my support to the union. Do u know how the workers are suffering huh ? My both parents were civil servant until they retired
— Joker 🃏 (@WESTSIDER90) June 3, 2024
@Makojet: “Spare us the sermon. Many people have died due to the mismanagement and carelessness of the ApC Government. Many people die daily because of bad roads, poor electricity and terrible state of our infrastructure. You think people started dying as a result of the National Grid shutdown?
Wake up sir
People die daily because of the disastrous Government you support.”
Spare us the sermon. Many people have died due to the mismanagement and carelessness of the ApC Government. Many people die daily because of bad roads, poor electricity and terrible state of our infrastructure. You think people started dying as a result of the National Grid…
— KNC Makoje (@MakojeK) June 3, 2024
@VinjahMedia: “And exactly how many died the many times that grid collapsed just this year? Did you post about any of it? Not supporting NLC in its actions, since we believe the strike can still be effective without truncating such critical services, but this post is pure emotional blackmail.”
And exactly how many died the many times that grid collapsed just this year? Did you post about any of it? Not supporting NLC in its actions, since we believe the strike can still be effective without truncating such critical services, but this post is pure emotional blackmail.
— VINJAH MEDIA (@Vinjahmedia) June 3, 2024
@Uc_Yucee: “So you mean there are Nigerian hospitals that rely on only power supply for their operations? This is laughable.
“I’ll need to know names of hospitals that DO NOT have generators as back up. They are not even FIT to be registered as hospitals or health care centers.”
So you mean there are Nigerian hospitals that rely on only power supply for their operations? This is laughable. 😂😂
I’ll need to know names of hospitals that DO NOT have generators as back up. They are not even FIT to be registered as hospitals or health care centers.
— Uchope (@uc_yuccie) June 4, 2024
@Cee_Jayking: “If you no talk about Peter Obi, how you wan pay for you wig and handbag?”
If you no talk about Peter Obi, how you wan pay for you wig and handbag? pic.twitter.com/3qaPmUkXOe
— Cjay (@Cee_jayking) June 3, 2024
@SaiduMuhammady: “You are ok with this and other terrible polices that was passed by this administration, but you’re not ok with people coming out to say enough is enough.”
You are ok with this and other terrible polices that was passed by this administration, but you're not ok with people coming out to say enough is enough pic.twitter.com/X5Kb2XCpab
— Yusuf Saidu muhammad (@saidumuhammady) June 4, 2024
Join the conversation
Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism
Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.
As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.
If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.
Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.
SPECIAL REPORT: In Sokoto, classrooms overtaken by goats, reptiles, as insecurity, lack of teachers, govt inaction push children out of school
SHEHU MUHAMMAD SHEHU reports on how insecurity, government inaction and lack of qualified teachers has significantly forced up the number...
INVESTIGATION: Abia residents in pains, as contractor abandons erosion control project after collecting N185m
Fresh from fashion school in 2022, Onuka Kalu planned to convert one of his father’s two shops, where he formerly...
Trump halts $50m Gaza aid, cites ‘condoms in Gaza’ claim
In a sweeping move to reassess U.S. foreign aid spending, President Donald Trump has frozen a $50 million assistance package...
INVESTIGATION: In Zamfara, forgotten Health Center throws community into health crisis
In the late evening of Friday, September 14, 2024, shortly after the Maghrib prayer, Bashir Muhammad, a 34-year-old father of...
INVESTIGATION: Insufficient teachers, learning materials worsen education access in Kwara communities
Qudus, a Junior Secondary School (JSS 2) pupil, would sit the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) in a year to...