Former Vice President of Nigeria and presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the last election, Atiku Abubakar, has advised Nigerian workers to see this year’s May Day as a moment for sober reflection and stocktaking, in view of the myriad of socio-economic tribulations facing them in the last eight years of the Muhammadu Buhari-led All Progressives Congress’ administration.
The Wazirin Adamawa, in a message of solidarity to the nation’s workforce, said the lives and welfare of workers and their families have been 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.
In a statement by his media office, 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 further extolled to 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.
According to the statement, 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.”
