VZCZCXRO8661
RR RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHOS #0231/01 1400811
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 200811Z MAY 09
FM AMCONSUL LAGOS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0777
INFO RUEHUJA/AMEMBASSY ABUJA 0379
RHMCSUU/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC
RUEHC/DEPT OF LABOR WASHDC
RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 LAGOS 000231 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DOE FOR GPERSONS, CHAYLOCK 
TREASURY FOR DPETERS, RHALL, RABDULRAZAK 
COMMERCE FOR KBURRESS 
LABOR FOR SHALEY 
USDOC FOR 3130/USFC/OIO/ANESA/DHARRIS 
STATE PASS USTR FOR LISER, AGAMA 
STATE PASS USAID FOR NFREEMAN, GBERTOLIN 
STATE PASS OPIC FOR ZHAN, MSTUCKART 
STATE PASS TDA FOR LFITTS, PMARIN 
STATE PASS EXIM FOR JRICHTER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ELAB PGOV PHUM KDEM NI
SUBJECT: NIGERIA: UNIONS COMMENCE PROTEST RALLIES 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary:  On May 13 in Lagos, the Nigerian Labor Congress 
(NLC) held a protest demanding a higher national minimum wage, 
reform of the electoral process, and suspension of the planned 
deregulation of the downstream oil sector.  Approximately 1,000 
people gathered for the protest, then marched to the office of Lagos 
Governor Fashola, who endorsed the protest.  The GON's warning that 
it could trigger civil unrest proved unfounded;  no incidents of 
violence were reported and Post contacts say the Nigerian Police 
were accommodating in stopping traffic and otherwise assisting the 
protesters' march through Lagos.  The NLC plans to present a bill to 
the National Assembly demanding full implementation of the report of 
an Electoral Reform Committee established by the GON.  The NLC may 
be willing to take a more activist stance against certain GON 
policies, but the poor turnout at the Lagos protest suggests it has 
a long way to go in gathering significant grass roots support.  End 
summary 
 
¶2. (U) On May 13 in Lagos, the NLC commenced the first in a series 
of planned nationwide protest rallies intended to pressure the GON 
to address labor's key demands which include a review of the 
national minimum wage, full implementation of electoral reform 
measures, and the suspension of GON's plans to deregulate the 
downstream oil sector.  (NOTE: The NLC has announced plans to hold 
additional protest rallies in the cities of Asaba, Kano, Maiduguri 
and Abuja in May and June, 2009.  End Note.)  Led by NLC President 
Abdulwaheed Omar, hundreds of union members, including leaders of 
the 29 NLC affiliate unions and those of the Trade Union Congress 
(another labor federation),  marched through major streets in Lagos 
distributing pamphlets and chanting solidarity songs.  Post security 
and labor contacts estimated the crowd at one thousand and reported 
that the Nigerian Police accommodated the protesters by stopping 
traffic during the march.  No violence or police-protester 
confrontations were reported.  NLC Assistant General Secretary Denja 
Yakub told PolSpec on May 13 that the protest march was largely 
peaceful due in part to an agreement between the NLC and the 
Nigerian Police that none of the two parties should engage in acts 
that could lead to breach of peace. 
 
¶3. (U) The protest started with a rally at the National Stadium in 
on the Lagos mainland during which union leaders took turns 
lambasting the GON for its alleged failure to tackle the country's 
economic woes.  After the rally, protesters marched to Governor 
Babatunde Fashola's (Action Congress-AC) office in the Ikeja area of 
Lagos.  Union leaders again took turns articulating the NLC's major 
demands.  Governor Fashola told the protesters that he supported 
their demands, especially the call for the review of the national 
minimum wage.  He questioned, however, if that review will 
materialize given the present state of the economy.  Fashola 
regretted that despite Nigeria's enormous human and material 
resources, the country is unable to adequately provide for the needs 
of its citizens.  He congratulated the workers for holding a 
peaceful protest and urged them to be reasonable in their demand and 
negotiation for better wages. 
 
¶4. (U) In a speech during the May 13 protest rally, NLC President 
Omar, said that the Congress will present a bill to the National 
Assembly urging the full implementation of the report of an 
Electoral Reform Committee (ERC) established by the GON in August 
2007 to look at reforming the electoral process after the flawed 
national election earlier that year. (Note: The ERC submitted its 
report to the GON in December 2008.  The NLC and several civil 
society and opposition groups have criticized the GON's response to 
the report which waters down many of the ERC recommendations.  The 
groups also questioned GON right to tamper with the ERC report 
before presenting it to the National Assembly. End note).  On May 
14, Owei Lakemfa, NLC Information Secretary, told PolSpec that the 
NLC will seek public support for its proposed bill on the electoral 
reform.  He said the NLC will embark on a mobilization drive to 
collect 20 million signatures from Nigerians who are opposed to the 
GON tinkering with the ERC report. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Comment: Generally perceived as weaker since the exit of 
its firebrand President Adams Oshiomhole, now Governor of Edo State, 
we suspect the NLC is trying to re-acquire its popularity among 
unions by stepping up its public rhetoric and championing economic 
 
LAGOS 00000231  002 OF 002 
 
 
and political demands on behalf of the ordinary people.  However, 
it's not clear whether the NLC's publicity campaign will turn this 
rhetoric into mass mobilization; the turnout for the protest was 
poor despite recent fuel shortages that have brought to light to 
many average Nigerians the ineffectiveness of the Federal 
Government.  End Comment.