Labour Party backs NLC proposed Nationwide Strike

On Wednesday, the Labour Party’s leadership expressed its full endorsement of the impending industrial action organized by the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress.

They criticized the presidency for its apparent indifference to the struggles of Nigerian workers.

The development is a response to organized labour’s decision to disrupt nationwide activities beginning on October 3. This move comes in the aftermath of the government’s failure to adequately execute policies designed to alleviate the masses’ suffering after the fuel subsidy’s removal.

After the NLC’s 21-day ultimatum ended last week, National President Joe Ajaero expressed his frustration, noting that none of the demands presented to the Federal Government had been attended to.

The NLC and TUC are making several demands, including wage increases, the rollout of palliative measures, tax exemptions and benefits for public sector employees, and a reassessment of the minimum wage.

Reacting to the proposed strike in a statement titled ‘Workers strike: Labour Party identifies with Nigerian workers’ on Wednesday, National Publicity Secretary of LP, Obiora Ifoh, bemoaned that Nigerian workers have shown enough patience and understanding.

Addressing party supporters, Ifoh advised them to prepare sufficient food provisions. He further stated that the LP leadership would endorse any legal avenues to advocate for improved welfare for Nigerian workers.

He said,

• “We have followed with keen interest, in the last four months, various meetings between Organised Labour and various government bodies including the president of the Senate, the presidency and the ministers of Labour as well as all the efforts made by the Labour leadership to get the government to understand the magnitude of sufferings its policies have thrown Nigerian workers into since the enthronement of this administration.
• “We are not in any way surprised at the government’s apparent indifference, insensitivity, intransigence, and recalcitrant posture towards the genuine demands of the Labour bodies because their usurpation of power was not sanctioned by both the workers and generality of Nigerians.
• “We are not in any way surprised at the government’s apparent indifference, insensitivity, intransigence, and recalcitrant posture towards the genuine demands of the Labour bodies because their usurpation of power was not sanctioned by both the workers and generality of Nigerians”, he said.

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Speaking further, Ifoh also noted that the present government’s action is a reflection of the fact that it was not based on the people’s choice at the poll.

According to him, Nigerians were denied their constitutional franchise during the election in what he described as an ’institutional conspiracy.’

He said,

• “Nigerians went to the polls with clear conviction of the government they wanted but this was denied them through institutional conspiracy. Today, Nigerian workers are being punished for taking a stand during the February 25 Presidential Election.
• “Labour Party is also aware of the sordid conditions which workers, the majority of them being our members, are subjected to, where many go to the office on a Monday and are forced by the prevailing economic challenges to sleep in their offices all through to Friday before returning home.
• “We are also using this medium to inform all our members and supporters to stock their homes with their necessary needs ahead of a long-drawn mass action until victory is ascertained. No retreat, no surrender.”

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