Tinubu broke promise to workers, owes ₦140,000 in arrears — Atiku
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has launched a scathing attack on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration over the non-payment of outstanding wage awards to federal civil servants, accusing the government of insensitivity, economic failure, and authoritarian tendencies.
In a strongly worded statement issued on Sunday, Atiku criticised the Federal Government for failing to fully deliver on its promise of a ₦35,000 monthly wage award meant to cushion the effects of the controversial fuel subsidy removal.
“That promise, like many others under this government, has become a broken covenant,” Atiku declared.
He noted that although the wage award was supposed to have taken effect for 10 months, only six months have reportedly been paid, following multiple delays and unmet assurances. The remaining arrears, he said, amount to ₦140,000 per worker, a sum he described as “critical relief” amidst Nigeria’s worsening cost-of-living crisis.
“When President Bola Ahmed Tinubu hastily and thoughtlessly removed fuel subsidy on the day of his inauguration, he triggered an economic avalanche that has since buried the average Nigerian under the weight of inflation, hunger, and despair,” Atiku said.
Beyond economic grievances, the 2023 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate also raised alarms over the government’s alleged suppression of democratic freedoms. He condemned the recent arrest of labour activist Andrew Uche Emelieze, who was reportedly detained for attempting to lead a peaceful protest over the unpaid wage awards.
“His only ‘crime’ was speaking up for workers abandoned by the state. We demand the immediate and unconditional release of Comrade Emelieze. His continued detention is an affront to democracy, a slap in the face of every Nigerian worker, and a chilling reminder of the authoritarian drift of the Tinubu administration,” Atiku said.
While commending some state governments for taking action to address labour concerns, the former vice president accused the Federal Government of showing “callous indifference and utter disdain for workers’ welfare.”
He warned that the administration’s refusal to listen and its harsh approach to dissent would not silence Nigerians or mask the reality of the country’s deepening socio-economic crisis.
“The Nigerian worker will not be silenced. No amount of heavy-handedness can erase the pain and frustration being felt across the country.” Atiku concluded.
