By Andrew Haruna
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has strongly responded to former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s criticism of trade unions and workers’ welfare in his new book, Nigeria: Past and Future.
In a statement released on Monday, NLC President Comrade Joe Ajaero reminded Obasanjo of his administration’s harsh treatment of labour leaders, which included arrests, detentions, and even the killing of protesting workers.
The union accused Obasanjo of attempting to proscribe the NLC and create a rival labour centre after failing to bring it under government control.
“Obasanjo Should Do a Soul Search” – NLC
“If Chief Obasanjo has noticed an erosion in the powers of the trade unions, he should do a soul search. Who knows, he might find himself culpable,” the statement read.
The NLC acknowledged some of Obasanjo’s concerns, particularly his assertion that the minimum wage is insufficient to meet workers’ basic needs. The union highlighted its demand for a ₦610,000 minimum wage, which the government and the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) rejected, instead proposing ₦50,000 without justification.
Ajaero explained that this led to a nationwide strike, which was suspended only after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu intervened and offered ₦70,000.
Tinubu’s Initial Offer of ₦250,000 Tied to Fuel Price Hike
While the NLC ultimately accepted the ₦70,000 offer to ease workers’ suffering, Ajaero revealed that President Tinubu had initially considered a ₦250,000 minimum wage, but tied it to increasing the pump price of petrol to ₦2,500 per litre—a move the union rejected to prevent further hardship for Nigerians.
The NLC also dismissed Obasanjo’s claim that trade union leaders had abandoned workers’ interests, insisting that workers’ rights have been denied by “malevolent governments and predatory employers,” not by union leaders.
NLC Defends Union Leaders’ Political Aspirations
Responding to Obasanjo’s criticism that a trade union leader had once negotiated to become a gubernatorial candidate while in office, the NLC asserted that union leaders, like all Nigerians, have constitutional rights to seek political office.
“It should be noted that the NLC has produced three governors directly from its leadership ranks, with the first instance occurring during Obasanjo’s presidency,” the statement pointed out.
“Obasanjo Undermined Unions” – NLC
The NLC recalled that Obasanjo had previously accused unions of acting like a “parallel government” and had made several attempts to weaken labour movements through policies that undermined workers’ rights.
“In summary, governments should stop undermining unions for their selfish interests,” Ajaero concluded.
