TUC says their inactive participation in politics has put them in a pitiable condition which is affecting the implementation of minimum wage
By Eberechi Obinagwam,
Ahead of 2023 general election, Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), has inaugurated the political commission members of the six Western states, namely; Lagos, Ogun, Ekiti, Oyo, Osun, and Ondo states with each states having five TUC members.
Making this known in a press conference held yesterday in Lagos, the TUC president, comrade Quadri Olaleye said that the inaugurated political commission are to sensitise the public on the 2023 election by letting them know the importance of getting their PVC and being part of the political election.
Giving its reason for the inauguration, the president said that the union discovered that their inactive participation in politics have put them in a pitiable condition which is affecting the implementation of minimum wage which they they have been clamouring for since 2019.
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He stressed that if the members are sensitised and vote in the right person, that definitely the signing in of matters that affects the masses would not be an issue.
According to him, ”There are a lot of issues on ground which has nothing to do with which political party because there is no difference in political parties in Nigeria and all this happened because of the absence of the Trade Union movement in politics and since it has been very difficult to differentiate politics from running the economy, then we felt that this is the right time we take our seats, play our role in the politics of Nigeria and it starts with the education of our members and the masses.
“We want a situation whereby in 2023 election all workers will be fully mobilised to go to out and elect the best candidate for the agenda,”
The president disclosed that part of the comnunique at the Round Table meeting in Abuja was to come up with a political agenda that is sellable to labour movement and the public at large.
“All our deliberation so far has shown that we are the real grassroots. We cut across towns, local governments, states, and coming to the national level. We have been the instrument of putting rare people in elective position in the country.
“So if we have decided this time around to pick, we will play a very key role in making sure that whoever that is going to take an elective position is properly screened and it’s someone that have pity of the working class.
“In the past we used to have the upper, middle, and the lower class, but, today, I think the classes are divided into two. It’s either you are there or you are with us at the lower level, and this cannot continue,” he said.
He further said that 2023 is very important to the working class in the country hence the inauguration of the electoral commission to engage politically on their behalf.
Also, he disclosed that the union will roll out their political agenda by next week after they have moved round the zones, emphasizing that the union will not loan their numbers to anybody this time, because they are the numbers.
Meanwhile, the TUC denied being part of any group that will distabilise the country, but at the same time, will be focused on all the projects aimed at moving the nation forward.
This is in regards to a report from the Department of State Services (DSS) few days ago that some group of people which includes the labour movement are trying to cause crisis in the Northern part of the country, trying to replicate the protest of EndSars.
”I am worried and feel concern because they mentioning the labour movement, and I have also read the message from our brother, the NLC president and I feel it’s very necessary to respond.
“On this note, I want to employ the DSS to do their proper vetting and be able to provide the true information to the government and the masses. But if they are referring to the mobilization of the TUC towards 2023 to educate our members on the role they should play in politics on everybody to have their PVC ready to elect the best candidates to change and move the country forward and ensure that the working class is properly cared for, I am telling you that TUC will continue to mobilize.
“It’s always forward ever for us and backward never. We will move to the next part of the country and do the same. And very soon we are going to have a roadshow to educate the masses and we have never had a roadshow without carrying the department of the DSS along in our plan,” TUC said.
Recently, the TUC convened a political Round Table in Abuja with the theme: “The Role of Organised Labour in promoting participatory democracy and good governance in Nigeria: Perspectives on 2023 General Elections”.
The union at the round table meeting divided the political zone of the TUC into three, the Eastern state, the Western and Northern states.
Last week, they were in Enugu to inaugurate the Eastern states which comprise almost eleven states and each state was represented by five members of the trade union of Nigeria.
