NLC pays tribute to Buhari: “He protected workers, ordinary people”

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has expressed deep sorrow over the death of former President Muhammadu Buhari, describing him as a leader who evolved into a protector of workers and an advocate for the common man during his civilian administration.

In a heartfelt condolence message personally signed by NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, and released on Monday in Abuja, the union acknowledged Buhari’s complex legacy, highlighting a significant shift in his approach to labour issues between his time as military ruler and as a democratically elected president.

“For us in the unions, Buhari came fighting the unions and mass-retrenching workers, leading to indescribable suffering during his tenure as a military head of state,” Ajaero recalled.

“However, as a civilian president, Buhari saw to it, that no worker was laid off (not even during the Covid-19 pandemic). He repeatedly gave facilities to state governments to clear the backlogs of salaries and pensions as well as to enable them to regularly pay salaries (although some governors betrayed this trust),” he added.

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Ajaero noted that although Buhari made tough economic decisions like increasing the pump price of petroleum products, he deliberately resisted pressures to privatize national refineries or aggressively devalue the naira, which could have worsened conditions for average Nigerians.

“Although Buhari increased the pump-price of petroleum products, he stoutly refused to sell off the refineries or devalued the Naira,” Ajaero said. “Buhari consistently identified with worker-issues/values including resisting pressure to adopt fundamentalist market policies as part of the process of protecting workers and ordinary people.”

He further praised the late president for acknowledging and correcting his earlier missteps regarding labour.

“In the late President, therefore, we have lost a leader who corrected his mistakes against workers, during his second coming. He stood with the people and country, a leader who truly put the country first no matter the cost,” he said.

The NLC president said the organisation was “deeply saddened” by the former president’s passing and extended condolences to his widow, Hajiya Aisha Buhari, the entire Buhari family, and all Nigerians mourning his loss.

Ajaero prayed for Allah’s mercy on Buhari’s soul and asked that he be granted peaceful repose.

Former President Muhammadu Buhari died on Sunday at a hospital in London after a brief illness. His death was officially announced by his family through a statement issued by his former spokesman, Mallam Garba Shehu.

President Bola Tinubu subsequently declared a period of national mourning, with flags ordered to fly at half-staff for seven days, and dispatched Vice President Kashim Shettima to the United Kingdom to accompany Buhari’s remains back home.

Buhari served as Nigeria’s Head of State from 1983 to 1985 and as democratically elected President from 2015 to 2023.

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