Organised labour in Osun State has threatened to withdraw the support of workers, pensioners and their families for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid over the continued withholding of local government allocations to the state.
The labour unions said they could no longer guarantee the votes of their members for Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election if the Federal Government failed to address the financial dispute affecting local government administration in Osun.
The position was made public on Monday by the Osun State Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Dr Christopher Arapasopo, while speaking with journalists after monitoring workers’ compliance with the three-day sympathy strike declared over the withheld allocations.
Arapasopo addressed the media alongside the state chairmen of the Joint Negotiating Council (JNC), Olalekan Adediran, and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Abimbola Fasasi.
The labour leaders expressed concern over the effect of the prolonged dispute on workers, pensioners and their dependants.
They maintained that the continued withholding of local government funds had created difficulties for employees at the grassroots level and affected residents who relied on services provided by local government authorities.
According to the NLC chairman, organised labour could no longer remain silent while workers and pensioners continued to experience hardship arising from the situation.
He explained that the unions had taken their position after considering the financial difficulties facing their members and the consequences of the dispute on their welfare.
Arapasopo particularly questioned the possibility of workers supporting Tinubu’s second-term ambition while their concerns over the withheld allocations remained unresolved.
He said, “For now, the organised labour in Osun State cannot guarantee the support and votes of workers, pensioners, and our families for the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“This position arises from the continued withholding of local government allocations and the attendant hardship imposed on workers, pensioners and our dependents. We can no longer pretend that we are happy when we are suffering!
“We are aware of Mr Governor’s commitment to supporting the President’s re-election. However, the interests and welfare of workers, pensioners and our dependents must take precedence over individual political preferences.”
The statement also introduces a fresh dimension to the political discussion surrounding Tinubu’s expected re-election campaign, particularly in Osun State, where Governor Ademola Adeleke has expressed his commitment to supporting the President’s second-term ambition.
However, organised labour has made it clear that the governor’s political position does not automatically translate into support from workers and pensioners across the state.
The unions insisted that their members’ economic interests must be considered independently of the political decisions of elected officials.
They maintained that the welfare of workers should not be sacrificed because of disagreements involving the state and federal governments over local government administration and finances.
The labour leaders also appealed to residents of Osun State to understand the reasons behind the industrial action.
They explained that the three-day sympathy strike was not intended to punish ordinary citizens but to draw attention to the difficulties facing local government workers and pensioners.
Arapasopo said the unions wanted both the Federal Government and the Osun State Government to find a lasting solution to the disagreement and ensure that normal administrative activities returned to the local government system.
He stressed that the demands of organised labour were centred on the release of the withheld allocations, the protection of workers’ entitlements and the restoration of normalcy to local government administration.
The NLC chairman also addressed the position of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), insisting that the union should not be blamed for the crisis or the disruption caused by the industrial action.
He said, “NULGE did not create this crisis, neither does it desire its continuation. Our demands are simple: release the funds, protect workers’ entitlements and restore normalcy to the Local Government system.
“We remain open to genuine dialogue but insist that industrial peace must be founded on justice and respect for workers’ rights.
“We appeal to the people of Osun State to understand that our struggle is not against them but for the economic survival and the protection of workers’ and pensioners’ welfare,” he said.
The labour unions further maintained that they were not opposed to dialogue with the relevant authorities.
However, they insisted that any agreement reached must address the concerns of affected employees and guarantee the protection of their legitimate entitlements.
