The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), has carpeted the Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Print Media, Abdulaziz Abdulaziz, over his statement on the recent fuel price hike in the country.

The NLC said the presidential aide may be suffering from selective amnesia or attention span deficit.

The NLC, in a statement on Tuesday by its president, Joe Ajaero, said it agreed to the new minimum wage of ₦70,000 for Nigerian workers based on the understanding with the government that fuel prices would not be increased.

However, Abdulaziz countered the position of the NLC, stating that President Tinubu never promised the labour leaders not to increase fuel price in the future.

Reacting to the statement from the presidential media aide, the NLC, in a statement on Wednesday by its Head of Information and Public Affairs, Benson Upah, said the labour union stands by its words.

The NLC accused Abdulaziz of engaging in dubious denial and also warned the media aide against taking a dig at the NLC President, Joe Ajaero.

Upah stated further that the government should stop taking Nigerians for a ride as the citizens are entitled to a decent, respectable life free from harassment, intimidation and starvation.

The statement charged the presidency to note that falsehood will not last forever.

The NLC said: “Our attention has been drawn to the denial credited to the Senior Special Assistant to Mr President on the Print Media, Mr Abdulaziz Abdulaziz.

“In the said statement, Abdulaziz was quoted as saying: “I sat through the two meetings President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had with Labour leaders on minimum. At neither of the meetings was an offer made in exchange of fuel price hike. Ajaero is once again playing his dirty politics with the emotions of Nigerians”.

“We find amusing the denial of Abdulaziz. We have since asked ourselves if he is suffering from selective amnesia or attention span deficit.

“However, not satisfied with his dubious denial, he elected to take a side dig at Comrade Joe Ajaero as “…once again playing his dirty politics with the emotions of Nigerians”.

“Whatever the matter is with Abdulaziz, we stand by our statement. And if Abdulaziz was at those meetings as he claimed, he should be courageous enough to let the world know whether the President gave the labour leaders one hour to meet and resolve to either accept and allow increase or accept N62,000.

“Labour leaders instead chose to meet outside the Villa and report in a week. When they came back, they were blunt and rejected the offer.

“As for Abdulaziz’s side-dig, he should stop insulting the intelligence of Nigerians as they do not need Comrade Joe Ajaero to know they have been taken for a ride and that life has never been this mean, all due to the policies of government.

“We also find it necessary to let Abdulaziz and those who sent him know that Nigerians are entitled to a decent, respectable life free from harassment, intimidation and starvation.

“Government may have all the ultimate weapons of coercion, true power resides with the people.

“Finally, we are also acutely conscious of the fact that falsehood does not live forever.”