Election outcomes must reflect wishes of voters – NLC tells INEC

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure that the electoral processes and outcomes are not only transparent and fair but reflect the wishes of voters.

Joseph Ajaero, the NLC president, said this in a statement issued at the end of the inaugural meeting of its National Administrative Council (NAC) on Tuesday in Abuja.

According to Ajaero, after an exhaustive deliberation, the NAC resolved and directed workers and all Nigerians to take active part in the elections by voting and safeguarding their votes.

“NAC warned that the disruption of the electoral process by parties, politicians or their aids or privies or by whoever will not be acceptable to it or the generality of Nigerians who have invested their time and resources.

“NAC called upon the security agencies to guarantee the safety of voters, observers, INEC officials and all those associated with conducting free, fair and credible elections across the country during the elections, ’’he said.

He said the NLC together with other dispassionate organisations or individuals could not afford to be indifferent or passive in the elections. He said that the NAC strongly warned those with a sinister agenda to steer clear.

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Ajaero said that the NAC noted that although the battle for the currency notes had since shifted to the Supreme Court, the NLC nonetheless urged the CBN and commercial banks to take steps necessary to ensure the availability of currency notes to the citizenry.”

On state council elections, in line with the provisions of the constitution of the NLC, he said NAC had resolved to hold state council elections across the 36 states and FCT not later than March 7.

He, however, said that NAC had resolved to direct all the affiliate unions to commence mobilisation for the action in Abia at the end of the 14-day ultimatum given to the government which ends on February 24.

He said this was in furtherance to the decision of the National Executive Council (NEC) to take all lawfully necessary actions to compel the Abia State government to pay the over six months’ salary arrears/allowances of workers and unpaid pension benefits.