The meeting between representatives of the Federal Government and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has ended in stalemate.
In last-minute efforts to prevent the protest, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, had invited Labour leaders to his office.
Aside from the SGF, Ministers of Agriculture; budget and national planning; Labour and Employment; Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Head of Service of the Federation, as well as the Director General of the Department of State Service (DSS), attended the meeting.
A source at the meeting told Daily Trust that government officials appealed to the labour leaders to shelve the protests because it may lead to breakdown or law and order.
They said isolated protests in some states were nearly hijacked by hoodlums before the security agents curtailed the situation.
As the meeting progressed, the labour leaders took a break from where they broke into another meeting for consultation.
At the end, NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, said despite the intervention to avert the nationwide protests, it would go on as scheduled.
He however, urged the security agents to protect the protesters.