2023 Polls: NLC Directs Workers To Vote Peter Obi, Other LP Candidates

In a final push to accelerate mobilisation for his victory at the Saturday’s presidential poll, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has directed all its State councils including affiliate unions to vote the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Mr Peter Obi, in forthcoming Saturday’s election.

The decision to pitch a tent with Mr Obi came after resolutions reached by the congress’s leadership at the end of the inaugural meeting of the newly elected National Administrative Council (NAC) of the congress on Monday.

Part of the resolutions was the directive given to workers to come out en mass to perform their civic duties by voting in the forthcoming elections and taking decisive steps to safeguard their votes.

The organised labour had in March, 2022 launched its Charter of Demands to presidential candidates with a promise to mobilise over 10 million workers’ votes for any candidate in support of the demands.

Already in July 2022, the labour centre had activated its political commission in all the 36 states of the country in preparation for the 2023 general elections.

Earlier in January, 2023, the former national president of the congress, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, reaffirmed the stand, saying that Nigerian workers will only vote for candidates that are workers-friendly in the 2023 elections.

To this effect, the congress on Wednesday in a statement by its national secretary, NLC National Political Commission, Comrade Chris Uyot, told  all Labour Political Committee members in the states to intensify their work in mobilising workers and the Nigerian people both at the local, ward and polling unit levels to vote for the LP presidential candidate, and all candidates of the Labour Party contesting the elections.

The political committees also vowed to work with allies in civil society organisations and students to take all necessary steps to safeguard the people’s votes by ensuring that the electoral process is transparent, free and fair.

The statement reads in parts, “This is a clarion call to all workers and working people that as we approach the final push towards the forthcoming presidential election come February 25, 2023, we should ensure massive turnout of votes for the success of the Labour Party in line with an earlier resolution of the National Executive Council (NEC).

“Towards this end, all Labour Political Committee members in the states are to intensify their work in mobilizing workers and the Nigerian people both at the local, ward and polling units to vote for the Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party, Mr. Peter Obi and all candidates of the Labour Party contesting the elections.

“To accomplish these significant tasks to save our democracy, all affiliate unions and State Councils of Congress are to give maximum cooperation and support to the political committees to strengthen. their work at the state, local government, wards and polling unit levels by ensuring that they provide at least 10 ward coordinators and canvassers to not only mobilise but defend the peoples votes.

“This election promises to be the most decisive in our country. It offers an opportunity to transform our political, social and economic policy direction to be peoples-oriented as espoused in the Workers Charter of Demands.”