As Nigeria prepares to celebrate its 64th independence anniversary on Tuesday, October 1st, President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Comrade Joe Ajaero has urged Nigerians to exercise their right to peaceful protest against injustice and the erosion of democratic values perpetrated by the political elite.
Ajaero, who called on citizens not to give up hope of a better nation, made the call in an Independence Day message to Nigerians on Monday.
Stressing the need for accountability, the labour leader cautioned political leaders against undermining democratic institutions, adding that such actions can no longer be tolerated.
“We urge the downtrodden Nigerians who bear the marks or burden of these broken promises, exploitation and corruption to not give up hope on their country.
“In light of the fact that their sacrifice has been taken for granted for so long, they should learn to protest within the limits of the law against injustices and subversion of democratic norms, culture and values by the dominant political elite.
“It should be apparent to the citizenry that the leading political elite are not ready to do the right thing except they are compelled to do so.
“In the same vein, we would like to sound a note of caution to our political elite whose pre-occupation is to circumvent the principles and practice of popular democracy that undermining of our democratic institutions can no longer be business as usual.
“The consequences of their acts of commission or omission brought us this far. It is time to turn a new leaf. Let it be the beginning of a new low,” he stated.
