Workers Disrupt May Day Rally in Abuja

Nigerian workers on Monday disrupted the May Day rally at the Eagle Square in Abuja forcing the rally to end in chaos without the traditional match pass by labour unions.

More security had to be drafted into the Eagle Square arena to protect dignitaries invited for the celebration, forming a barricade to prevent the protesters from getting to the invited guest.

The 2017 May Day celebration attracted the largest crowd of workers in recent years.

Trouble started when the Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Biola Bawa was called to read the address of the Minister, Senator Chris Ngige who was representing the President.

Even when the Minister stepped forward to address the workers, they refuse to allow him speak and all efforts to make them return to their seat failed, forcing the minister to return to his seat angrily.

Some of the workers insisted that if the President could not attend the rally to address them; he would have sent the Vice President instead of the Minister.

The shout of go back to your seat by the leadership of both the NLC and TUC was greater with a loud no by the workers.

Efforts by former Edo state governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole to calm the few workers failed as a few of them who gathered around the podium refused to listen, nor allow the event to continue.

While many of the workers sat down in their stand watching the development, a few of the workers went round the square chanting no marching, no marching.

At this stage, the workers who had become tired began to leave the square en-mass, forcing the rally to end in chaos.

As many of the workers made to leave the arena, the protesting workers took over the podium chanting “we don win, we don win”.