2019- NLC vows to vote out anti-labour politicians

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has vowed to ensure workers and pensioners acquire voting power to oust deceptive and bad politicians at all levels and has therefore, directed workers and pensioners who are yet to register to do so and obtain their voters card.

Mr. Ayuba Wabba, NLC President, gave the order when he paid a familarisation visit to the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) National Secretariat on Tuesday in Abuja.

Wabba said this became necessary as governors and other political office holders with anti-labour tendencies were on the rise.

READ ALSO: Nigerians spend about $5billion on generator – Yakubu Dogara

He said the political class have the believe that pensioners and workers do not have any political value, hence salaries and pensions were not being paid.

“A lot of politicians say workers and pensioners do not have political value and therefore it is a big challenge, they even claim that we do not have voters card.

“We are going to embark on a vigorous campaign for workers and pensioners to register and obtain their voters card.

“Because a process has been opened for workers, pensioners and their families to acquire voters’ card, where it is missing, revalidate it. We have the number.’’

He said that were over eight million Nigerians in NLC alone without the pensioners.

READ ALSO: One Boko Haram Leader, Three Others Surrender to Nigerian Army

“So we have the number to challenge any politician and make them realise that we are a force to reckon with.’’

According to him, let us awaken this consciousness and make sure we do what is right because we also have to engage the process and be able to represent our members.

“Because the notion also is that we are very comfortable and that we do not have voters card. It is very important for us to engage the system,’’

He also called on the leadership of the NUP, to as a matter of urgency, issue a circular to pensioners in the 744 Local Government Areas to ensure that they have their voters’ card.

The NLC president described as unacceptable that workers and pensioners were continually distressed as some states do not pay them their entitlement regularly.

“The constitution has made it very clear that pension is a right after working diligently for the service of your nation for 35 years and having attained the mandatory age of 60.

“Retirement ought to be sweet, but in most cases retirement these days is not sweet, you are always on one verification or the other.’’

Wabba added that NLC’s National Executive Council would meet to deliberate on a campaign strategy that would ensure that all workers, pensioners, their family, and dependant have a voter’s card and make their vote count.

He also assured the NUP that the problem of minimum wage for workers and pension would be tabled before governments at all levels.