NLC President, Joe Ajaero
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Unions Congress (TIC) have in their separate statements lambasted President Bola Tinubu over his comment about strike and politics.
While NLC strongly criticized Tinubu for his recent comments, accusing him of being disconnected from the daily realities faced by Nigerians, their TUC counterpart berated Tinubu, saying "there must be protest, we’re not politicians."
In response to Tinubu’s remarks during the commissioning of the Lagos railway red line project, where he questioned the moral ground of the organized labour to challenge his administration’s policies, the NLC urged the president to prioritize addressing the ongoing hardships faced by citizens.
The NLC, through its president, Joe Ajaero, expressed deep concern over Tinubu’s focus on partisan issues and future elections rather than the pressing needs of the populace.
Ajaero emphasized that the NLC’s primary objective is advocating for effective governance that prioritizes the welfare and security of all Nigerians rather than seeking political positions.
Ajaero urged Tinubu to redirect his efforts toward fulfilling the fundamental duty of public office, addressing substantive issues under discussion since June 2023, including wage increases, social welfare programs, infrastructure development, and the revitalization of critical sectors like education and healthcare.
Ajaero said: “It is regrettable that the president seems oblivious of the profound hardship endured by millions of Nigerians. The pervasive hunger, unemployment, housing insecurity and escalating cost of basic necessities, such as food and health care, demand immediate attention and decisive action.
“Yet, instead of addressing these pressing concerns, President Tinubu appears preoccupied with political calculations and future electoral prospects.
“The NLC wishes to emphasize that our primary objective is not to vie for political positions, including that of the president; rather, our sole focus is on advocating effective governance that prioritises the welfare and security of all Nigerians.
“We urge President Tinubu to redirect his efforts towards fulfilling this fundamental duty of public office rather than engaging in political rhetoric.
“It is imperative that we refocus our collective energy on addressing the substantive issues that have been the subject of engagement between Labour and the government since June 2023.
“These include critical matters such as wage increases, social welfare programmes, infrastructure development and the revitalisation of key sectors, such as education and health care.
“In any case, to avoid the dissipation of energy, it is important that we focus on the real issues because we have engaged the government since June 2023 after the ‘subsidy is gone’ statement.
TUC President, Festus Osifo
The Trade Union Congress (TUC) has berated Tinubu over his recent comments on labour unions in the country, adding 'Your Political Comments Are Alien To Us'.
Tinubu, Thursday, told the labour unions to stop their protests and wait for 2027 if they wish to participate in the electoral process.
The President also called on organised labour to maintain peace as they are not the only voice for Nigerians.
But in an interview on Channels Television on Friday, the President of the TUC, Festus Osifo, said members of his union are not politicians and that they have the right to protest.
Osifo stated that the TUC is only interested in the welfare of its members and, indeed, the entire Nigerian masses and should not be dragged into politics
He said: “I listened to that comment yesterday where he said that we should wait for 2027 if we want to contest for elections. I could speak for Trade Union Congress, we are not politicians, we are unionists, it is our right to protest – it is a fundamental right of every single Nigeria.
“So we don’t have issues with protests, when need be, people will exercise their rights and people must protest. In terms of waiting till 2027 to enter into politics, I don’t think that is something we could dabble into because I, as an individual, am not a card-carrying member of any political party.
“What I am interested in is the welfare of my members and indeed the entire Nigerian masses. So, what the president said for me is alien to us because the right to protest and the right to strike is that of the workers.
“There are condition precedents, for the fact that you are going on protest or strike, there are some things that led to it, those fundamental issues must be addressed.”
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