Workers’ Day: What major presidential aspirants are saying

As Nigerian workers celebrated the 2022 Workers Day, major Presidential aspirants have shared some messages of hope to subtly solicit votes ahead of the 2023 Presidential elections if they emerged as the candidates of their parties.

They took to their social media handles, especially Twitter, admitting that they feel the ‘unbearable’ pains and pang of hunger of the workers. They also acknowledged the importance of the workers and their contributions to national growth.

Below are some of the messages shared via Twitter by former Vice, President Atiku Abubakar; Former Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi; Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, former Governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu; and Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State.

Atiku Abubakar

He Twitted, “Dear Nigerian workers, I will like you to know that I feel your unbearable pains and pang of hunger, hyperinflation, mass unemployment and insecurity challenges you encounter in your daily lives. #WorkersDay

Dear Nigerian workers, I will like you to know that I feel your unbearable pains and pang of hunger, hyperinflation, mass unemployment and insecurity challenges you encounter in your daily lives. #WorkersDay

— Atiku Abubakar (@atiku) May 1, 2022

• “But I want to assure you that there’s hope from this socio-economic slope if we remain committed to the process to enthrone One People with One Future and One Country for the good of all.
• “Nigerian workers at all levels and all sectors – federal, state, local governments and private sector – may do well to adopt a new approach to industrial relations and dispute resolution by pursuing labour-friendly policies and positions that will guarantee improved national productivity, better working conditions for workers, particularly low-income staff and casual workers who have suffered so much anguish and pains in their daily working lives and living.
• “I wish to let Nigerian workers know that I feel their pains and would do the utmost to better their lots if given an opportunity to lead the country.
• “I am concerned that salaries have remained static, food scarcity and inflation abound everywhere, children are out of school due to no fault of yours, farmers can no longer go to the farm for fear of bandits, traders cannot commute freely without being abducted, no energy to power industries and companies are shutting down geometrically; all conspired as a burden on the citizenry.
• “However, I wish to assure you that all hope is not lost. You need not be forlorn; the time is ripe to vote out bad governance, and Nigerian workers should lead the way with their voter’s cards at the next polls to ensure the return of better days.
• “I appeal to the federal and state governments to work harder to bring the Academic Staff Union of Universities and other striking labour unions back to the negotiation table in the interest of the Nigerian youths and the educational system of the country, which is dying gradually due to these incessant labour unrests.
• “Our country shall fare very well in the coming years if, as a nation and people, our leaders and citizens imbibe a new spirit and approach in our attitude to managing the workplace, corporate governance and our nation’s wealth.”

Peter Obi

He Tweeted, “In commemoration of #WorkersDay, I urge the Nigerian government to aggressively support micro, small and medium enterprises, which are the engine of job creation, so that they can effectively contribute to reducing the unemployment rate, as is the case in other nations.

In commemoration of #WorkersDay, I urge the Nigerian government to aggressively support micro, small and medium enterprises, which are the engine of job creation, so that they can effectively contribute to reducing the unemployment rate, as is the case in other nations.

— Peter Obi (@PeterObi) May 1, 2022

• “No country grows economically with a 35% unemployment rate, which, when combined with under-employment, will be 55%. That’s a figure of 60% of unemployed Nigerians being youths—the greatest asset of any nation.
• “I congratulate all Nigerian workers on their celebration of Workers Day while encouraging the need to uphold the beautiful virtues of diligence and hard work.”

Yemi Osinbajo

He stated, “Over a century ago, the Nigerian working class laid the railway tracks and erected telegraph poles connecting the vast reaches of a country that was about to be born.

• “It is impossible to tell the story of our nation’s liberation from colonial rule without dwelling at length on the heroic contributions of the labour movement to that struggle. In this epic struggle, the Nigerian working class was the army of the Nationalist movement.
• “The Nigerian worker in every real sense laid the foundations of sovereignty and freedom with their blood and tears and nurture it till this day with their sweat and zeal.
• “Nations are built by people. Nigeria is being built through the everyday honest toil of hardworking Nigerians – men and women who keep the engines of our country running despite the challenges we face.
• “Nigerian workers are the strength and the hope of our nation. Whatever heights of greatness we will achieve as a people will be because of your contributions to our national enterprise. Thank you for all you do.”

Bola Tinubu

He stated, “This Worker’s Day, I thank all the workers who have kept our country going.

• “Thank you all for heroic work that you do. Thank you for working around the clock, day after day. Without you there is no Nigeria. God bless the workers. God bless Nigeria.”

This Worker’s Day, I thank all the workers who have kept our country going.

Thank you all for heroic work that you do.

Thank you for working around the clock, day after day. Without you there is no Nigeria.

God bless the workers. God bless Nigeria.#BAT
♾ pic.twitter.com/lqQS1aA7Kt

— Bola Ahmed Tinubu (@officialABAT) May 1, 2022

Yahaya Bello

He said, “Your commitment to industrial peace has helped to stabilize our polity and brought us ongoing gains in security, unity and prosperity in our dear Kogi State.”

He debunked the information making the round that his administration is planning to downsize the workforce in Kogi State.