The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has raised alarm over the deteriorating state of Nigeria’s democracy, warning that the country’s electoral process has been hijacked by a privileged few, effectively turning votes into tradable commodities.
NLC President Joe Ajaero made the remarks during the public presentation of the Report on Electoral Trust and a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing ceremony hosted by the International Press Centre (IPC). He accused the political class of betraying the sovereign will of the Nigerian people.
“The electoral process, which should be the sacred arena for expressing the people’s mandate, has been transformed into a marketplace where votes are auctioned, and democracy is subverted by the powerful,” Ajaero stated.
He argued that this distortion of democracy has profound consequences on governance, resulting in widespread suffering for the populace.
“The immense suffering inflicted on Nigerians by those in public office seems like a deliberate punishment for not voting for them, yet they still find themselves in power,” Ajaero added.
Highlighting the impact of misgovernance, the NLC leader pointed to nearly 150 million multi-dimensionally poor citizens, decaying infrastructure, impassable roads, abandoned schools, dilapidated hospitals, failing public utilities, and unbridled insecurity.
Ajaero also called on the Nigerian media to rise above partisan narratives and serve as the voice of the people rather than a megaphone for the elite. He urged journalists to:
Publish the unvarnished truth about the entire election cycle.
Expose pre-election rigging, vote-buying, intimidation, and post-election judicial manipulations.
Resist being swept up by propaganda orchestrated by political elites.
He praised the IPC’s initiative in partnership with the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) and the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP), describing it as “a vital act of resistance” that empowers the public and holds politicians accountable.
“We challenge the media to stand on the side of the people. Be the mirror that reflects our reality, not the curtain that hides it. Be the compass that guides us to genuine democracy, not the tool used to legitimise its counterfeit,” he declared, reminding journalists of his own background in journalism.
Looking ahead to the 2027 elections, Ajaero warned that the outlook for Nigeria’s democracy “looks very bleak,” but expressed hope that the media could act as a catalyst for change and help restore public trust.
“We see this as a fight for the future of Nigeria, and the NLC stands ready to partner with all genuine forces to reclaim our democracy for the working people and the masses of our nation,” he concluded.
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