 All right. Welcome back. It's time for our first hot topic. I want to take a look at what's going on with NLC and TUC strike and CSOs kick against this upcoming strike. Shadow to take place on the 3rd of October. CSOs under the Ages of Civil Society and Workers Dialogue Forum have kicked against NLC and TUC Shadow for the 3rd of October and have vowed to organize anti-NLC protests across the 36 states and the FCT on the same date that NLC and TUC are planning to go on their strike. And I've been joined by Mohammed Abdul-Lahi, Public Affairs Analyst, and he's joining us from Kaduna State. Good morning to you, Mohammed. Good morning, Nigerians. It's my pleasure to be here. It's indeed a pleasure to have you. Mohammed, before we talk about this NLC-TUC strike, let's talk about something that's happening right now in Kaduna State, where you are. What's the truth about the election, the governorship election? Did the court say it's inconclusive or what? Thank you for that question. It's actually a bit confusing for almost everyone. You remember the court proceedings that journalists were actually not allowed to be in, and then the proceedings were actually held via Zoom as well. Precedents from what happened in Kaduna State ended. So technology is playing a crucial role if I was cheap in that. But again to your question particularly, yes, one of the challenges is the fact that since journalists were not let in, most media houses professionals actually relied on statements from, you know, the parties to the case. So interestingly, the ruling party, I mean the APC, led by Governor Ubasani, actually put up a request statement last night congratulating itself and the party that the court, I mean the tribunal would held its victory. But again, another shocking thing was, you know, the candidate of the PDP, I mean the main opposition party in Kaduna State also put up a contracting statement. I mean, saying, you know, the court declared, I mean the tribunal declared the election inconclusive. So it's quite challenging. So it means media houses that were sympathetic to any of the parties involved. You know, took the stories from the angle from which, you know, like I said, the parties they were most sympathetic to, you know, gave out their own statement. So that's why we have media conflicting statement in the media. I mean, if you look at the media landscape, you find some of the media saying it's inconclusive, some of the media saying the tribunal would held in the elections of the APC. So it's very confusing at the moment. In fact, at the moment we have not seen the court judgment to actually discern what really happened. So I think we have to give it a few more days for us to actually understand clearly what happened. But at the moment it's still a confusion in Kaduna State to what the tribunal judgment is all about. Interesting, very interesting drama there. Okay, let's go to a topic of discussion and that's the fact that CSOs are kicking against the plans struck by NLC and TUC. In fact, they want to organize anti-NLC protests on the same date. What do you make of this kick by the CSOs? Why? Of course they've given their reasons. They think it's uncalled for. They believe that negotiations are already ongoing and so NLC should hold on and wait for government. Do you see them as working for the government or just being concerned Nigerian citizens? It's interesting because remember this is democracy. So people have, I entitled to their own opinion. Sometimes even what you think is quiet, white. So people think it's black and that's what democracy is all about. You know, people just define their actions and then their opinion. Everyone has right to his or her own opinion. But again, some of the limitations of democracy is the fact that if you are part of the system, you actually do not have any right to criticize the system. So that is also another justification of democracy. So having said that, I mean the CSOs, yes, they have their right to also talk about countering the planned protest, I mean, the strike action by the NLC. Remember in the last discussion here, probably about two weeks ago, we talked about the fact that even the NLC itself is not united. Even some of the workers, I mean, like the TDC is actually countering the NLC itself. They are a bit more sympathetic to government. So I would sit down here and say the CSOs are working for the government. But I think, like I said earlier, every organization and society have got their own right based on their own thinking and what they feel the situation is at the moment. So yes, the negotiation between the government and the NLC is ongoing and they feel, yes, NLC should give government more time in order to reach a decision. I think that is their own right of thinking. But again, if you want to ask, how long would the federal government continue with the negotiation? Remember, I mean, the president I know is still out of the country, even more than five days or six days since the end of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. But the president, I don't know, is still out of the country. So like I said, the other time, some of these demands and negotiations, even though the minister of labor is here, I mean, Senator Simon Lalong, I mean, is in the country. But some of these ratifications will actually need the input and the final say of the president. So perhaps the president being out of the country, and perhaps maybe having back before the October 1 celebration, I mean, the independence anniversary, which is in perhaps two, three days time, maybe that might ease the tension, I mean, of both parties, but the NLC and the CSOs at the moment, we never can tell. But yes, the CSOs have their right. And then based on their own decision and the situation on ground, they also have their right to say their country in the NLC. In fact, despite the fact that if you look at the fact that even part of the members of the NLC, I mean, the two UC are also not in tandem with what the NLC is planning. Indeed, Nigerians are beginning to wonder why the president is not here back from New York, if indeed he is still in New York. And as you have said, October 1st we'll know where he will be addressing us from. Is it from Nigeria or outside of the country? Now the AGF, the Attorney General of the Federation, has warned Labor that they'll be going against the court ruling that they should not go on strike. But Labor is calling us, is calling it judicial terrorism. Yes, again, that's a bit funny. Because everyone of us should be bound, I mean, by the ruling of the court. And that's what the rule of law is all about. I know there's the ruling of the court that prevents Labor from continuing their strike action to, I mean, for the country to be in peace. I mean, it holds on every citizen and every organization to actually follow the rule of law. It's very important. I think if Labor wanted to continue with their strike action and their planned protest, it's simple to actually appeal the existing and subsisting court ruling. So rather than just shoving it aside and saying, calling the judicial in their own words now, judicial terrorism in order to continue with their planned action. So it's very important because it's some of the things that we feel that the past government, I mean, led by ex-President Mohamed Burani, was doing that wasn't right. There were so many court injunctions and so many court actions, I mean, that the former administration didn't respect. So I think in this new dispensation, all and some of you should understand that it's not in the right interest of the country, in the right interest of citizens of the country and the people at large to show aside court rulings. It is important that whenever we disagree with court rulings, we can actually appeal or seek for other court injunctions in order to carry out our own action, rather than just a blanket disposal of the existing court ruling in order to carry out our own actions. So I think NLC is wrong in this regard, in my own opinion, since there is an existing and subsisting court ruling, I think it behoves of them to respect it. Indeed, they should have. I won't wonder why they didn't appeal it. However, this government going to court to get this order is also perhaps part of the problem. So you are dialoguing with NLC and you're going to court to stop them from, you know, so it becomes like a two-edged sword. Yes, you understand. You know, when you're involved in war, you try every habit in you to become victorious. So all is fair in war. All is fair in war. Yes, all is fair. I think that is the right cliché. I'm sure the government was looking at it from the point of view that they are about losing and the time is very short. So what is the best way is actually to get a court injunction stop in labor. Perhaps why the... Okay, Mohammed? What is he called? The negotiation is continued. It has abandoned the negotiations. They feel the time frame is very short. So in order to continue this strike action on protest. All right. Well, this time TUC and NLC are on the same page. So I think, like we said, all is fair in war. It's just a game. I am proud of it. Okay. The network is making this conversation a bit untidy. Mohammed. Mohammed Abdullah. Okay, you're back. Okay, let's just try and wrap up now because the network is a bit problematic this morning as it's been in the last couple of days. TUC and NLC are united in this protest. It does seem like this one is going to be huge. How do you see the government responding? How do you see them reacting with all this caught thing in place and all of that? They are beginning to respond. The negotiation is on going. They caught injunction, stop it. It is fact that the government is jittery. Yes, because it's going to be very huge. If both parties, I mean the NLC and TUC can unite and hold government to the juggler. So they are beginning to, they are responding actually. And then the language, the body language of the government is that they are jittery. They actually do not want this strike action to take place because it's going to be very catastrophic. Remember, we are actually on the brink of economic growth. So the NLC is striking indefinitely again will compound our issues and problems. So the government is jittery and actually with my own understanding they do not want the plan action to take place. Indeed. Well, let's see what happens. It's few days from now. Three days to the day that has been scheduled for this NLC strike. The CSOs have also said they have vowed and they have written that they are going to also organize anti-NLC protest across the 36 states and the NLC. That day is a day indeed that most Nigerians are already counting down to NLC, have advised Nigerians to go stockpile on foods and make sure that they are ready for that day. Only God knows how it's going to turn out. We prefer a peaceful resolution. And perhaps even if the protest will go on, we pray for it to be very peaceful because that's one of the challenges. You know, sometimes these protest actions before we know it degenerates into chaos and conflict and crisis which compounds the problem. So whatever the situation may be, I think as Nigerians, what we should pray for is that there should be peace because that is very important. We don't want to have crisis coupled with the challenges that we have on the ground across the country. Indeed. Indeed. Thank you so much, Mohammed Abdul-Lahi, for your time. Thank you very much, my pleasure. Mohammed Abdul-Lahi, public affairs analyst, joined us from Kaduna State on our first hot topic. We'll be back with our second hot topic. You stay with us.