Labour unions endorse Sanwo-Olu for second term

• Published date: 13 January 2023
• Publication title: Nigeria - The Nation

For the first time, Organised Labour in Lagos State has come out to openly declare support for the candidate of a political party. The union leaders made the declaration yesterday at a solidarity rally held in Ikeja to endorse the re-election of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), citing the Governor's landmark achievements and his implementation of labour-friendly policies in governance.

A statement by the governor's Chief Press Secretary, Gboyega Akosile, the Lagos NLC chairman, Comrade Funmilayo Sessi, and her Trade Union Congress (TUC) counterpart, Comrade Gbenga Ekundayo, led thousands of workers in the rally held at the Police Training College in Ikeja GRA.

At the endorsement rally were leaders and members of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), the TUC), the National Union of Teachers (NUT), Radio, Television, Theatre and Arts Workers Union of Nigeria (RATTAWU), Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), and the association of herbal medicine dealers.

The labour movement in the state also endorsed the APC presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, saying the model he instituted took Lagos out as the best labour-friendly State.

Comrade Sessi explained that the move was not to politicise the Organised Labour, but said the unions were not comfortable sitting on the fence in a governorship election in which Sanwo-Olu, whom she described as 'the most labour-friendly Governor', is contesting.

The Lagos NLC chief said the Organised Labour met in congresses prior to the rally to sample the opinions of people in the labour movement about gubernatorial contenders in Lagos. She said the decision to support Sanwo-Olu was made after members of the Organised Labour unanimously endorsed Sanwo-Olu based on his fulfilment of promises to the movement.

Sessi said: 'Before we embarked on this rally, we all agreed at our respective congresses to support Sanwo-Olu to continue as our Governor. We made the decision before today but we only came out to display our solidarity with him publicly. What we have done right in our house, we are showing to the world. This is the first time the Organised Labour in Lagos is taking an open position to endorse the candidate of a political party.

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