By Our Reporters
LAGOS—MIXED reactions yesterday trailed President Goodluck Jonathan’s reduction of fuel price to N97 per litre after seven days of protests against government’s January 1 removal of fuel subsidy that took fuel price to between N138 to N250 across the country.

Reactions to the new price ranged from outright rejection to acceptance and cautious criticism.

This came as strident criticisms greeted President Jonathan’s deployment of soldiers to Lagos, Abuja, Kaduna and some cities of the country, apparently in reaction to security challenges posed by some of the protests in opposition to Organised Labour’s halting of the protests.

A coalition of civil society groups led by Pastor Tunde Bakare’s Save Nigeria Group (SNG) had vowed to continue with the protests even if the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) said otherwise, unless the government reverted fuel price to N65 per litre.

President means well – Aminu, Sarumi

Speaking on the issue, former Minister of Co-operation and Integration in Africa, Chief Dapo Sarumi and National President of IPMAN, Alhaji Abdulkadri Aminu, hailed the President’s decision saying that it was in the best interest of the nation.

Sarumi, who spoke on a Television programme, said President Jonathan had shown he was a listening leader by reducing fuel price even though total deregulation would have been the best bet to address the issue.

Sarumi also backed the deployment of soldiers to some cities yesterday because “the President cannot fold his arms and watch some people, who had publicly threatened to unleash violence on the nation, do so.”

To Aminu, “the president’s decision to reduce the earlier price of N141 to N97 per litre means he meant well for the nation.”

It’s beginning of another struggle – Alex Akinyele

Former Sports Minister, Chief Alex Akinyele, viewed the development with cautious optimism, fearing that another struggle might begin because unresolved issues abound.

His words: “We thank God that it ended the way it did. It is the beginning of another struggle because the suspension of the strike has not ended the whole issue. The crisis made us to know the depth of corruption going on in that sector. Even if we escaped the calamity of this crisis, another bigger calamity is awaiting us as a nation, because a lot of revelations were made, which I believe have generated a lot of questions on how some people feed fat on the nation.

PDP hails resolution, says dialogue pays

To the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, the resolution of the crisis showed that dialogue pays. National Publicity Secretary of the party, Professor Rufai Alkali and Chairman of the National Executive Committee, NEC, Alhaji Tafida Maffindi, said the resolution has shown that it was a listening administration.

“We wish to congratulate the Federal Government, the organized Labour and indeed all Nigerians over the successful resolution of the impasse that characterized the recent decision to deregulate the downstream sector of the petroleum industry.

Fashola calls for withdrawal of troops

Disturbed by the deployment of troops to Lagos given the peaceful manner the protests had gone in the state, Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN) of Lagos State, called for withdrawal of the soldiers, saying, “the usage of the instrumentality of the military to suppress civilian’s fundamental human rights amounts to oppression and repression of the masses.”

In a statewide broadcast, Fashola lamented the loss of a young Nigerian, Mr. Ademola Aderinto who was shot during the protest by a trigger happy police officer and pledged the commitment of his administration to bring the alleged perpetrator to justice, saying there was no justification for the deployment of the soldiers.

He said: “It is not disputable that the citizens who have gathered in several parts of Lagos like Falomo, Ikorodu and Ojota to mention a few have largely conducted themselves peacefully, singing and dancing while they expressed their displeasure at the way that we have taken decisions that affect them.”

Noting that the protest was “a most welcome transformation of our democracy in the sense that it provokes a discussion of economic policies and this inevitably may result in political debate, the governor said: “I therefore urge the reconsideration of the decision to deploy soldiers and implore the President and Commander-in-Chief to direct their withdrawal from our streets. I must also emphasize that the rights of free speech and protest is not absolute. They impose the duty not to break the law, breach the peace, endanger human life or destroy property whether public or private.”

SNG, allies berate Labour, urge protesters to sit-at-home

Rejecting the new rate and also flaying the deployment of troops and tanks to the Gani Fawehimi Freedom Square Ojota, Lagos, venue of the protests, SNG Convener,Pastor Tunde Bakare, faulted the decision of labour to unilaterally accept the new fuel price.

In a statement, he said: “We have equally reviewed the broadcast of President Goodluck Jonathan where he unilaterally offered to reduce the pump price of petrol to N97 per litre. This tokenism shows that the display of people power in the last few days has not been in vain but it is far little to be acceptable. We demand a reversal to the pre-Jan 1 pump price of N65 per litre as a basis for a conducive atmosphere for a national conversation on the oil sector and how to deal with the corruption that has brought this needless crisis on the seventh largest producer of crude oil in the world that has been made to depend on import for it’s refined product consumption.”

On the deployment of troops, the cleric said it was curious that a democratic government would deploy troops against a peaceful assembly in violation of the constitutionally guaranteed right of the citizens to freely assemble and express their feelings.

JAF, CD speak

Like the SNG, the Joint Action Front, JAF, umbrella body for pro-labour and civil society groups in the country, rejected the N97 fuel price and described it as imposition which fell short of N65 being demanded by Nigerians.

JAF also condemned the deployment of soldiers and said it was a breach of Section 40 of the Nigerian constitution.

In like manner, the Campaign for Democracy (CD) also expressed disappointment over Labour’s suspension of the strike. In a statement by its President, Dr Joe Okei-Odumakin, CD said, “by suspending the strike, Labour has dealt the hopes and aspirations of Nigerians for affordable fuel, and the movement for accountable and corruption-free governance, a huge blow.”

NBA backs labour, says many questions remain unanswered

The Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, said: “NBA reiterates that it has aligned with organised labour’s decision to suspend the strike in the hope that normalcy in the nation’s economy, which the suspension will engender will pave way for genuine negotiations on the issue. It is clear that there are many unanswered questions relating to certain critical issues of good governance, accountability, transparency in government, reduction of wastage and belt tightening measures, anti corruption crusade both within the petroleum industry and within the superstructure of government at large, budgetary discipline and control, the restoration of the refineries to full production capacity, capital projects such as the Port-Harcourt -Enugu Expressway, the Lagos-Ilorin Expressway and the Abuja-Lokoja Expressway, Modern railway and road transport systems, health and educational facilities etc-to mention a few.”

Be ready for another price hike – CPC

Also reacting, the CONGRESS for Progressive Change, CPC, the government’s pegging of fuel pump at N97 indicated that Nigerians would soon witness another fuel price hike.

It also frowned at the deployment of soldiers to the streets of Lagos, describing it as unacceptable.

A statement by CPC’s National Publicity Secretary, Engr. Rotimi Fashakin, stated that there was no institutional framework on ground for the Federal Government’s Subsidy Re-investment and Empowerment programme (SURE).

His words: ‘’We have also noted the usual hollow ritual associated with government’s handling of negotiation with organized Labour. What has just taken place follows the same pattern with the eight times that Nigerians were made to absorb invidious pump price increases, between 1999 and 2007! It is, therefore, a matter of time before another pump price increase is unleashed on the hapless Nigerian people.”

It’s a win-win situation — N/Delta group

To the Niger Delta Nationalities Forum (NDNF), the truce between the Federal Government and Organised Labour was a win-win situation.

Commending both labour and government for the compromise made during the negotiation, NDNF Chairman, Mr Manager Seigha, welcomed the N97 new pump price of petrol noting that everybody had won.

It’s a sad story — Ayo Opadokun

On his part, a leader of the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), Mr Ayo Opadokun berated Labour for ending the struggle when its allies were still willing to go the extra mile. “It is a sad story that the Organised Labour, for reasons best known to them, threw in the towel when other groups are still willing to give their best as far as strike is concerned,” he said.

Senate applauds probe of oil industry

Following the suspension of the strike, the Senate yesterday hailed President Jonathan, NLC, TUC, other stakeholders and and Senate President David Mark for the roles they played in ensuring that the issue was resolved amicably.

In a statement signed by Chairman, Senate Committee on Information, Media and Public Affairs, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, the Senate said Labour’s prompt action was a tacit recognition that “Nigeria cannot be at a standstill and that the country must march on to the path of total socio-economic and political transformation.”

Urging all the parties to adhere to the terms of the agreement and for government to ensure full implementation of the palliative measures it had promised in the light of prevailing circumstance, the Senate commended Senate President Mark and its leadership for their roles in resolving the crisis.

It also called for accountability in the oil sector, saying: “The Senate as a responsive institution has always called for accountability and transparency in the oil and gas sector. That was the reason the Senate instituted a probe panel to investigate the sector, especially the management of the subsidy fund, which led to the discovery and exposing of the beneficiaries of the fund.It is therefore hoped that the government will go all out to restore confidence in that sector, by sparing no individuals or groups that ripped-off the national treasury through the subsidy issue.”

Balarabe, Sagay to labour: ‘You betrayed Nigerians’

Former Governor of old Kaduna State, Alhaji Balarabe Musa and legal icon, Prof Itse Sagay (SAN) , have slammed Organised Labour’s leadership for suspending the strike, saying, “they have betrayed Nigerians.”

Said Musa: “Let us understand that labour got the full support of the civil society groups, the people. Calling off the strike half way without consulting with the people, is to humiliate us. Though, to some of us we are not surprised. What we should do is to organize ourselves and fight on. The N97 per litre as surrendered by NLC is unacceptable to Nigerians. ”

On the deployment of soldiers to Lagos, the former governor lambasted the federal government’s decision. “It is unfortunate that all this talk about democracy is a farce, if not why would the military or the police not respect the rights of Nigerians even with their non-violent approach?” he queried.

On his part, Sagay said labour had always betrayed Nigerians, recalling that “they once betrayed us under the leadership of Adam Oshiomhole during President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration.”

His words: “The agreement with the labour is to return to N65 per litre, no going back. The civil society organisations were ready to carry on as agreed and as usual, in their characteristic manner pulled out without the people’s consent, they betrayed us, am not surprised at all.

Pa Fasoranti, in his brief comment described the suspension of the strike as being in the interest of Nigerian masses who were already suffering from the week long strike.

Fasoranti, Ashafa differ

However, the leader of Pan Yoruba socio-political organization, Afenifere, Pa Rueben Fasoranti and Senator Gbenga Ashafa, representing Lagos East Senatorial District, said the suspension was in the interest of the nation and the people in general.

Senator Ashafa, stated that the move was in the interest of peace and urged the two parties to continue with the dialogue in fashioning an amicable settlement on the deregulation of the downstream sector of the petroleum industry.

Also, the Executive Director of Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ), Rev. David Ugolor, welcomed resolution of the crisis and hoped that the PIB when passed would spell out all elements of the reform of the Petroleum Industry needed to entrench probity, transparency and accountability.”

ACN flays troops’ deployment

Condemning the deployment of armed troops to the streets of Lagos, the ACN described it as one of the most egregious and anti-democratic actions taken by President Jonathan since assuming office.

In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said the President even outdid the brutal military dictators of the past by using the military as an instrument to suppress a peaceful protest by unarmed citizens.

It said the protests in Lagos had been peaceful such that policemen at the Ojota had little or no job to do during the rallies and wondered why the President would deploy soldiers.

The party called on President Jonathan to immediately withdraw the soldiers, hoping that by beating a quick retreat, “he can mitigate the impact of the damage which his action has done to the psyche of the good people of Lagos, and the dent it has put on the nation’s democracy under his watch.”