Vice President Yemi Osinbajo yesterday implored Nigerian politicians to adjust to the reality of a Nigerian identity hinged on national integration.
According to him, politicians who continue to traffic in division and discord are behind the times.
He noted that even though national integration is a journey, the destinies of Nigerians as a nation have become so interlinked and inseparable, as Nigerian identity has emerged to transcend ethnicity and religion.
Osinbajo who was at the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) 13th Quadrennial National Delegates Conference in Abuja said the labour unions and other groups that are charged with the protection of economic, civil and political rights, must vigilantly prioritise the protection of the civic space.
Speaking on the theme, “Building People’s Power, National Unity, and The Quest for New Social Contract”, the vice president stressed that such priorities underscore the reasons why the NLC remains an important institution with members united by shared vocations as working class Nigerians, the occupational identity that cuts across lines of ethnicity of religion and gender.
He said, “A Nigerian identity has emerged that transcends ethnicity and religion, politicians who continue to traffic in division and discord are behind the times and have failed to take note of how much more integrated our society has become.
“I submit to you that it is the elite of our nation that must adjust themselves to this reality and conduct their politics accordingly, we are obviously not as united as we should be, but national integration is a journey and we’re further along that journey than where we were six decades ago, our destinies have become so interlinked, as to become inseparable”.
On his part, outgoing national president of NLC, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, had earlier said Nigerian workers have been pushed to the well due to the ongoing scarcity of naira.
Wabba who declared open the 13th Quadrennial National Delegates Conference lamented that Nigerians currently face chaotic situations in banks and filling stations, queuing up endlessly to assess new currency notes and PMS.
Condemning the cash crunch, Wabba insisted that the situation remained unacceptable to Nigerian workers.
He said, “This conference also takes place at a time when many Nigerians and workers have been pushed to the world or into the chaotic situation in our banks and filling stations, where Nigerians are queuing up endlessly to assess new currency notes and PMS.
“We have more than enough to actually address those two issues, first , we’re a major oil producing country and therefore we are the only country in the world that is a member of OPEC that still depend on importation. Secondly, we don’t understand the rationale that you lost your money in your bank accounts, you are limited from withdrawing what you want to use.”
