Ahead of the 2023 general election, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has asked all its state chapters to activate their political committees at local government levels to sensitise workers and the public on the need to vote for the Labour Party (LP) candidates in all elective positions in the 2023 general election.
The two labour centres, NLC and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) had earlier declared their support for the Labour Party and its presidential candidate for the 2023 election, Mr Peter Obi.
NLC also said that it would organise a mega rally in Kebbi State in support of its Deputy President, Dr Nasir Idris, who has emerged as a governorship candidate in Kebbi State as well as support its chairperson in Niger State to ensure victory at the polls.
It urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure that all eligible voters willing to vote in the 2023 general election are registered.
In a communiqué issued at the end of its National Executive Council meeting (NEC) held in Abuja, the labour body said it had taken note of “the increasing adoption of the Labour Party and its candidates as the party of choice and candidates to beat by many Nigerians, especially workers, youths and women”.
Regarding the current excitement by Nigerians from all walks of life to participate in the 2023 general election as expressed by the commitment to register and collects Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs), it urged INEC to expand its capacity to register new voters.
In the communiqué jointly signed by the NLC President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba and General Secretary, Mr Emma Ugboaja, the union said: “In line with earlier organ’s decisions, the NEC called on the state structures of the NLC to activate their local government political committees to sensitise workers and the general populace on the need to vote in Labour Party candidates across all elective positions in the 2023 general election”.
NLC observed the difficulties being experienced by eligible voters in registering and collecting their PVCs at registration centres across the country should be addressed by INEC.
While commending the commitment of millions of Nigerians to participate in the 2023 polls, NLC urged the INEC to ensure that all eligible voters willing to vote in the 2023 general election are registered.
It said: “Pursuant to the foregoing, the NEC called on INEC to expand its reform initiatives by improving its logistics capabilities, especially with regards to the provision of adequate voter registration centres.
“In light of the overwhelming number of voters queueing up to register and collect their PVCs, INEC should deploy voter registration centres in all polling units across the country.
“If funding is a challenge, INEC should ask for more funds through an executive supplementary budget”.
Furthermore, the NEC calls on INEC to investigate reports of the deployment of voter registration centres on private premises and very worrisome claims that people pay for the deployment of such sensitive INEC facilities at their convenience.
The NEC noted that such conducts pose a huge risk to the integrity perception in the countdown to the 2023 general polls and could pose a major obstacle to the positive public confidence coefficient in the countdown to the 2023 general polls.
The NLC NEC also called on INEC and security agencies to investigate reports of harassment and physical attacks on voters who showed up at some voter registration centres.
It further urged INEC and security agencies to be wary of such voter arm-twisting tactics and deploy measures to rein in such dangerous and criminal behaviours.
As part of its resolutions at the NEC meeting, NLC said it has resolved to intervene in the toxic industrial climate in Abia and the Imo States by sending a strong delegation of the leadership of the Congress-led by the NLC President to interface with Abia and Imo state governments.
It also condemned the non-implementation of the National Minimum Wage by Taraba, Zamfara, Abia and Cross River states.
Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja
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