Politics

A Civil Society Organisation, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) says the  labour movement in recent democracy era has been overtaken by the political class in Nigeria.

CISLAC  Programme Manager, Mr Okeke Anya, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Lagos.

Anya, who spoke in commemoration of Nigeria’s Democracy Day, observed on June 12, said the labour movement no longer engaged governments as it did at the early stages of Nigeria’s democratic experience.

NAN recalls that  former President, Muhammadu Buhari, in June 2018, declared June 12 as Nigeria’s democracy day instead of May 29 in honour of late Chief M.K.O Abiola.

Abiola, the acclaimed winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election died in detention for an alleged treason.

The declaration followed many years of agitations by civil society groups that Abiola must be immortalized.

Anya said: “Increasingly, I am seeing the labour sector to have been overtaken by the political class in ways not to hold the state fully accountable; also, to make demands from the state in ways that will benefit the citizens

“The labour movement no longer engage governments it was engaging at the early yields of Nigeria’s democratic experience.

“Labour, at times, follow policies governments have put in place without actually, seriously, questioning them; some of those policies that are not even people friendly are allowed to run, just to ensure there is stability.”

Anya also, accused the movement of poor communication with the citizens over negotiations done with government.

According to him, labour’s failure to interact with the people over engagements with governments is not democracy.

“The absence of communications of what those engagements are, calls to questioning as to whether this is just an exercise.

“Also, that at the end of the day, it comes up to say it has had an agreement with government, and we continue the way we are,” he said.

Also, the Secretary General, Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, Mr Nuhu Toro, said that Nigeria’s democracy needed to be encouraged to thrive.

Toro said: “It is better anywhere than military dictatorship; the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, however, will not relent in defending our members and the down trodden in Nigeria.

“We are confronted with harsh anti-people  policy, which has already triggered high cost of living and suffering; we will do everything possible to defend Nigerian workers.” (NAN)

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Tags: Mr Okeke Anya Muhammadu Buhari