TUC decries Nigeria’s underdevelopment at 62, craves credible polls in 2023

The Trade Union Congress (TUC) of Nigeria has called on the Federal Government and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure that Nigerians have credible elections in 2023.

It said Nigerians desire a genuine variation.

TUC President, Festus Osifo, in a statement, to mark the country’s 62nd independence, stated that while ensuring the votes of Nigerians count, he said the polls were another litmus test for the current administration.

He lamented that at 62, Nigeria is still a toddler and in the league of never-do-well.

Osifo said at independence in 1960, the citizens had high hopes and a relatively functional system, but today, he noted, that corruption, insecurity, high cost of living and decayed infrastructure, among others “have practically eroded the gains of our heroes past.”

He submitted that favouritism and nepotism have been enthroned as driving factors in placing people into leadership positions instead of knowledge, character and willpower.

According to him, this is one among several factors that are responsible for where Nigeria finds itself today.

While congratulating Nigerians on their resilience and patience despite the hunger and high cost of living, he stated: “Politicians deliberately choose to impoverish us. But there is always a time to say enough is enough and the time is now through our votes.

“Once upon a time we had foreigners in our universities as lecturers and students. Today, our children have been at home for over seven months because of the ASUU strike and government insensitivity to honour the collective agreement. Ministers that ought to put on thinking caps in finding a lasting solution to the impasse walk out of negotiations at will just as government functionaries flaunt graduation pictures of their kids and loved ones from Ivy League schools and premium universities abroad. This ugly trend must be put to a halt.

“Similarly, daily, our government decries the spate of oil theft and pipeline vandalism, which has affected the daily production and reduced it to less than a million barrels per day. It is disgusting that nobody has ever been punished for such criminality against Nigerians. It will be right to suggest that the government knows those perpetrating the crime as it has severally threatened to name individuals and organisations behind heinous acts. We urge the government to expedite action towards exposing these culprits.

“Never again shall four men sit in a room to choose who will preside over Nigeria. The scales have fallen off the eyes of the masses and they can now see clearly. We can see a better Nigeria, where the children of nobody can become somebody. Nigeria belongs to all of us.”