The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) has posited that politicians in the country deliberately chose to impoverish the citizens through many anti people policies and actions.
It however noted that Nigerians have the power to change that narrative through their voter cards.
TUC therefore called on President Muhammadu Buhari and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure a free and fair election, and most importantly ensure that votes cast by Nigerians would count in the 2023 general election.
The union, in a statement to mark Nigeria’s 62 independence anniversary signed by its President, Comrade Festus Osifo, said, “Nigerians desire a genuine alteration, a true variation. We call on the Federal Government and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure that Nigerians have a credible election in 2023, and ensure that votes of Nigerians count. The 2023 elections is another litmus test for the present administration.
“Politicians deliberately choose to impoverish us, but there is always a time to say enough is enough, and that time is now through our votes.
“Never again shall four men sit in a room to choose who will preside over Nigeria. The scales have fallen off the eyes of the masses, and they can now see clearly. We can see a better Nigeria where the children of nobody can become somebody; Nigeria belongs to all of us.”
“It is sad that at 62, Nigeria is still a toddler, and in the league of never-do-wells. At independence in 1960, we had high hopes and a relatively functional system but today corruption, insecurity, high cost of living, decayed infrastructure, etc., has practically eroded the gains of our heroes past.
“Favouritism and nepotism have been enthroned as the driving factors in placing people into leadership positions instead of knowledge, character and willpower. This is one amongst several factors that is responsible for where Nigeria finds itself today.
“Nigeria is among the top oil producing countries in the world, but disgracefully our country does not know the exact quantum of barrels produced per day, nor can we refine our crude locally, which invariably frustrates Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and export jobs.
“Similarly, daily, our government decries the spate of oil theft and pipeline vandalism which has affected daily production and reduced it to less than a million barrels per day. It is disgusting that nobody has ever been punished for such criminality against Nigerians. It will be right to opine that the government knows those perpetrating the crime as it has severally threatened to name individuals and organisations behind such heinous acts. We urge the government to expedite action towards exposing these culprits.
“Once upon a time we had foreigners in our universities as lecturers and students. Today, our children have been at home for over seven months because of ASUU strike and the government’s insensitivity to honour collective agreement. Ministers that ought to put on thinking caps in finding lasting solutions to the impasse walk out of negotiations at will just as government functionaries flaunt graduation pictures of their kids and loved ones from Ivy League schools and premium universities abroad. This ugly trend must be put to a halt.”
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