Two major labour unions in the country, the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and the Trade Union Congress, TUC, have pledged to support the Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
They promised to campaign for him and to do everything within their powers to ensure he wins the 2023 presidential election.
Presidents of NLC and TUC Ayuba Wabba and Quadri Olaleye made the pledge at the Pascal Bafyau Labour House and TUC Secretariat, Abuja respectively.
Wabba told labour leaders and members who gathered for the 10th anniversary lecture in honour of Late Pascal Bafyau on Tuesday, that Obi is “among the finest Nigerians and the first presidential candidate of the Labour Party to be recognised by the labour centre.”
He further said that NLC is solidly behind the LP and would fully mobilise to ensure the victory of the party come 2023.
Recalling how the workers’ unions have realised that strikes and protests alone cannot change the narratives in Nigeria, especially in regard to workers’ welfare and fair treatment of the working people, Wabba said that labour must venture fully into politics and work hard to support candidates whose mantra will make life better for our members and Nigerians at large.”
Olaleye, on his part described Obi is a face among the presidential candidates, saying that all labour unions are ready to work with him.
According to him, the entire labour movement has accepted, adopted and would support, and ensure workers massively vote for him in the 2023 presidential elections.
He went further to say that LP is stronger and more formidable, and now has a widespread structure, as there is a worker and member of either TUC and NLC in every family across Nigeria.
Obi who visitedthe leadership of the two labour centres, explained that his visit was not to campaign but for a courtesy call to honour the organised labour on whose party and interest he is seeking Nigerians’ vote in the 2023 general elections.
“My commitment is to move Nigeria from consumption to production and you can’t talk about production without labour. Labour is the engine of production, capital and machines 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 added.