By ABDULWAHAB ABDULAH
LAGOS— Major ethnic nationalities in Nigeria, yesterday, vowed to join forces with the National Labour Congress, NLC, to stop the Federal Government from its planned removal of fuel subsidy.

The group, which promised to bring the government on its kneel, if it goes ahead with the hike in prices of oil products, said, it was high time the Federal Government realised that Nigerians have suffered by the removal of subsidy by previous administrations since 1973.

Addressing newsmen in Lagos, the group under the aegis of the Coalition of Ethnic Nationalities of Nigeria, CENN, comprising Igbo Youths Congress, IYC, Ijaw Izon Community in Lagos, IZC, Supreme Egbesu Assembly, SEA, Arewa Youths Congress, AYC, Niger/Delta Student Council, National Coalition of Arewa United Association, NCAUA, noted that the repeated excuse by government that fuel is cheap in the country was a display of insincerity by those in government against the governed.

Promising to resist the removal of the subsidy, the coalition said it will use everything at its disposal to persuade government to drop the idea, but will resort to force if their pleas fail.

Noting that the removal of subsidy will endanger the nation’s nascent democracy, CEEN said, President Goodluck Jonathan “stands to lose the goodwill of a majority of Nigerians. In fact, an increase in price will endanger our democracy. Forcing Nigerians to pay a higher price for fuel will unleash a rippling effect of inflation, which will spare no sector of Nigeria and the economy.”

CENN’s President, Dr Fredrick Fasehun, said that the consequences of increase in oil price may engender a reactionary move by Nigerians.