TheCable

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) have declared their support for Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), in the 2023 elections. 

The party’s membership and support had increased since Obi defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in May, 2022. 

Ayuba Wabba, NLC president, who spoke on Tuesday described Obi as one among the finest Nigerians and the first presidential candidate of the LP to be recognised by the labour centre.

Wabba said the NLC is solidly behind the LP and will fully mobilise to ensure the victory of the party at the 2023 polls.

He said workers’ unions have realised that strikes and protests alone cannot change the narratives in Nigeria, especially as regards workers’ welfare.

He said labour must venture fully into politics “and work hard to support candidates whose mantra will make life better for their members and Nigerians at large”.

On his part, Quadri Olaleye, TUC president, said “Obi is a face among the presidential candidates that all labour unions are pleased and are ready to work with”.

According to Olaleye, the entire labour movement has accepted, adopted and will support, and ensure workers massively vote for him in the 2023 presidential election.

”The Labour Party is stronger, one and formidable and the party has a widespread structure, as there is a worker and a member of either TUC and NLC in every family across Nigeria,” he said. 

He added that the LP “is the only party for Nigerian workers”. 

In his address, Obi said his commitment is to move Nigeria from consumption to production, and this cannot be without labour.

“Labour is the engine of production, capital and machine can do anything but labour is what makes it work. Because labour is the greatest contributor to production, it has to be properly remunerated,” he said. 

“I do not need to tell you how bad things are in this country today. If you are on wages, today Nigerians spend 100 percent of their wages on just feeding.

”So many don’t even know where their next meal will come from. They pay to train their children only for them to finish school and stay at home without work.” 

The presidential candidate said more than half  of the country’s youths of productive age are unemployed, and that this is what his party is seeking to discuss for the future of the country.

He said borrowing is not the problem of the country as other countries are also borrowing to support their economic development drive.

He, however, added that borrowing for consumption is a problem, and if there must be borrowing, it should be for production.