The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), has insisted that its planned nationwide protest was neither personal nor politically motivated, but a continuation of its longstanding advocacy against worsening insecurity and deepening socio-economic challenges in the country.
The Acting General Secretary of the NLC, Comrade Benson Upah, who spoke to our correspondent yesterday, recalled the labour centre’s historical role in drawing national attention to security lapses through constructive engagement and mass action.
According to him, the NLC had, in the past, convened two major security summits between the administrations of former Presidents Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari, one of which was chaired by former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon (rtd), following widespread street protests against the deteriorating security situation at the time.
Upah added that a third summit, which focused on social security, identified the deficit in social protection as one of the underlying causes of Nigeria’s persistent physical security challenges. He said: “Our planned protest is consistent with the history of our apprehension of security situations in the country.
Given the worsening security situation under President Bola Tinubu, marked by the abduction of school children and avoidable killings, it would be irresponsible of us to look the other way. History will not forgive us.” Upah stressed that the protest was driven purely by national interest, noting that the NLC had never harboured any ulterior or partisan motives.
“This planned protest is therefore neither personal nor political. We have no ulterior motives we never had.” Upah further argued that there was a direct link between economic inequality and insecurity, warning that skewed wealth distribution would ultimately have severe consequences for the entire society.
“There is a clear nexus between shared prosperity and security. When the distribution or redistribution of wealth is decidedly skewed against the majority, there will inevitably be a huge price to pay by all sadly including the victims of distribution and redistribution.”
The NLC therefore urged the Federal Government to urgently rethink its economic approach, calling for policies that would directly, transparently and sustainably address poverty and unemployment rather than exacerbate them.
“We urge the government to address the issues of poverty and unemployment head-on instead of deepening them through its policies.” He also warned against what he described as political overreach, cautioning that attempts to stifle opposition or impose political dominance could further destabilise the country.
“The government has been fighting a hybrid war and it knows it. It is advised to scale down its political ambitions, as Nigeria will never become a one-party state.
That will come at a huge price.” Upah called on those he described as the “architects of political destabilisation” to reflect on Nigeria’s past and learn from history saying, “Let them pause and go down memory lane, the facts are there.”
