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Workers Must Sack Self-centred Professional Politicians in 2023 – NLC

The Nigeria Labour Congress has asked the organised labour and civil society groups to collaborate and take back the country from those it described as professional politicians, Punch reports.

It said 2023 is the year to retire politicians who see politics as an end and not a means to serve the ordinary people in the country, noting that Nigerian politicians have only demonstrated great talent in serving themselves, families and cronies.

The NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, stated these at the Trade Union Congress’ Political Roundtable with the theme ‘The role of organised labour in promoting participatory development and good governance: Perspectives on 2023 general elections,’ held at the Shehu Musa Yar’adua Centre, Abuja, on Thursday.

Wabba, who was represented by the Chairman, NLC Political Commission, Alhaji Najeem Yasin, called for the involvement of labour unions, women, youths and intellectuals in politics, arguing that the country needs her best women and men to salvage the ship of state, which he noted is sailing dangerously adrift.

According to him, the increasing wave of insecurity, unemployment, poverty, hunger and short supply of basic amenities and utilities, including petrol, showed that things are falling apart in the country.

Wabba stated, “The job of fixing our country cannot be left to professional politicians. I say so because in the past 20 years of the current democracy and for the most part of over 60 years of our independence, our politicians have demonstrated great talent in serving themselves, families and cronies.

“Comrades, it is this self-service that has brought us close to the edge of great national disaster. We now need a new breed without greed who will serve the interest of Nigerian workers and people. There is no better place to get this crop of politicians than from the working class, professionals and ordinary people who have excelled in their fields of calling.

“2023 is the year to retire all professional politicians who campaign without commitment to any manifesto. 2023 is the year to retire professional politicians who see politics as an end and not a means to serve the ordinary people of our country.”

The labour leader admonished the workers, professionals, market women and men and the youth to organise and mobilise their colleagues to use their Permanent Voter Cards to send professional politicians to their permanent retirement in 2023.

“2023 is the year that political campaigns will be on the basis of clearly defined manifesto which must resonate with the demands of Nigerian workers and people,” he added.

In his remarks, the chairman of the roundtable, Prof Attahiru Jega, corroborated Wabba’s stance on the need for active involvement of labour unions in the nation’s politics.

“Perhaps, in no other country in the world today is this responsibility of organised labour more necessary and desirable than in Nigeria in its present circumstances. Nigeria is very badly governed and, unfortunately, it has been so for a very long time,” he affirmed.

The former chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission urged the unions to join forces with other patriotic forces and actively engage with politics and governance, and especially the electoral process, to ensure that the governance process and indeed the future of Nigeria “is rescued from the reckless elite who are greedily and blindly undermining the socio-economic and democratic development of our country.”

“It needs to be recognised that in the present circumstances, workers ignore participation in electoral politics at their own peril,” he added.

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Copyright 2022 SIGNAL. Permission to use portions of this article is granted provided appropriate credits are given to  www.signalng.com and other relevant sources.

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