Former Vice President and presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the last election, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the Senate President Ahmad Lawan and the Speaker of the House Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, have saluted Nigerian workers for their resilience, courage and faith in the country.
They sent their goodwill messages yesterday ahead of today's celebration of May Day also known as Workers' Day worldwide.
Atiku advised the workers to see this year's May Day as a moment for sober reflection and stocktaking in view of the myriad of socio-economic problems facing them in the last eight years of the Muhammadu Buhari-led All Progressives Congress (APC's) administration.
The Wazirin Adamawa, in the message of solidarity with the nation's workforce, said the lives and welfare of workers and their families hadbeen reduced to the abyss of mere existence due to the litany of policy errors by the ruling APC government, which created insecurity in all facets of workers' lives: food, shelter, health, wealth and education.
Despite the precarious situation, Atiku enjoined the workers not to despair and cowed, but to keep their heads above water and stay afloat, be resilient and hopeful; for the sake of the younger generation and the country's future.
"In Nigeria of today, the minimum wage of N30,000 cannot buy a full bag of rice, let alone cloth or pay for a worker's many utility bills. In fact, hyperinflation in all sectors of our nation has constituted serious socio-economic strangulation to the average Nigerian worker, who's now poorer than 2015 when APC came to power."
Atiku extolled the virtues of hard work, perseverance and endurance of the working people in the country.
"It is unimaginable how a government could be so heartless to treat its own bonafide citizens like medieval slaves in colonial plantations. Where are the so-called 'dividends of democracy'? Labourers do deserve commensurate wages that meet pervading economic conditions of the time. Alas, Nigerian workers now receive wages that can no longer take them home or bring them back to the office!" he lamented.
The former vice president reminded the workers to stand together, with him, to legally reclaim their stolen mandate at the February 25 presidential polls.
"Hope is the breath that keeps people alive. Let's work together in unity of voice and purpose to retrieve our electoral victory through the law courts. Let's have faith that the judiciary would be fair and dispense unbiased justice."
Also, Lawan (Senate president) commended Nigerian workers for their resilience and patriotism even as they celebrate the workers day today.
In a statement he signed, Lawan said throughout the country's history, Nigerian workers have been remarkable for their patriotism, commitment to nation-building and resilience in the face of serious development challenges.
"They have contributed in finding solutions to the challenges and supported the efforts of the government targeted at meeting the yearnings of the populace.
"This consistent patriotic stance of the Nigerian workers has enhanced peace and industrial harmony and provided a conducive environment for economic growth and development in the country.
"The dictum that "Labour creates wealth" remains valid today as it has ever been. It is in the realisation of this that the government must always pay serious attention to labour-related matters.
"It is with this understanding that the ninth National Assembly (NASS) has guarded itself against the introduction of any anti-labour legislation since its inception in 2019. We are happy that this stance has also helped in sustaining industrial peace in the country," Lawan said, adding that being the last May Day in the tenure of the ninth National Assembly, it is worth highlighting some of the achievements of the Assembly.
"By 2019 when the ninth Assembly was inaugurated, the nation's financial year or budget cycle had become notorious for being unreliable and uncertain. To redress that situation, the Assembly in collaboration with the Executive Arm of Government, promptly reset the financial year to run from January to December. This has since then been sustained, resulting in significant improvement in budget performance.
"Also, we successfully passed many critical bills that had become jinxed under the previous Assemblies, as we did to some other extant legislations that are critical to good governance and service delivery in the public sector.
"Such critical legislations include: Deep Off-shore and Inland Basin Production Sharing Contracts (Amendment) Act, 2019; Companies and Allied Matters Act, 2020; Police Act 2020, Petroleum Industry Act 2021; Electoral Act 2022 and many more.
"A special mention must be made of the 16 constitutional amendment bills, for the fifth alterations of the 1999 Constitution, which President Muhammadu Buhari signed into law in March this year.
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"Recognising that Nigeria still has many challenges to contend with, I urge the labour movement to continue to sustain this atmosphere of industrial peace and harmony under the new administration of President-elect Ahmed Bola Tinubu that will be inaugurated on 29th May, 2023," Lawan added.
Similarly, Gbajabiamila lauded the efforts of the Nigerian workers on the occasion of this year's International Workers' Day.
Gbajabiamila in a statement said the Nigerian workers have paid their dues over the years, therefore, they deserved to be celebrated always, not just on workers' day.
Recalling the sacrifices of the Nigerian workers, Gbajabiamila said such would not go in vain, noting that they would continue to reap from their good works.
He said Nigeria would not have been what it is today but for the diligence, dedication and commitment at various levels.
He saluted them for their invaluable contributions to the growth and development of Nigeria even as he urged them to do more for the betterment of the country.
