Adedokun Waliyu 
The meeting between the federal government and the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) scheduled to hold on Friday to prevent the looming nationwide strike by the union failed to take place.
Femi Gbajabiamila, chief of staff to President Bola Tinubu, and Simon Lalong, minister of labour and employment, were at the presidential villa to meet with the leaders of the NLC who did not show up.
The labour had threatened to embark on an indefinite nationwide strike from October 3 over the removal of the petrol subsidy by the federal government and its attendant impacts on Nigerians.
The NLC had earlier embarked on a two-day warning strike early this month after which the federal government was given a 21-day ultimatum to meet their demands.
The ultimatum expired on Tuesday without the government attending to the requests of the union.
Lalong had also said the federal government was working to avert the impending strike by the union.
Tajudeen Abbas, speaker of the house of representatives, had advised the union to shelve the planned strike and consider the plight of Nigerians.
Lateef Fagbemi, the attorney general of the federation (AGF) and minister of justice, had asked organised llabour not to go ahead with the planned strike, citing a subsisting court order.
The AGF said organised labour should respect the order issued by the national industrial court on June 5, restraining it and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) from embarking on strike.
Fagbemi had said that the judgement remains binding and enforceable until set aside, noting that going ahead with the strike would amount to a disregard for the dignity and integrity of the court.
It is unclear if the NLC will meet with the federal government before October 3 when the nationwide strike is billed to kick off.
