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Abuja — Immediate past President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and International Trade Union Confederation, ITUC, Ayuba Wabba, has described the death of former President Muhammadu Buhari as a monumental loss to Nigerian workers and the masses, saying he would be remembered as a genuinely pro-poor and pro-people leader.
Reacting to the news of Buhari’s passing in a statement on Sunday, Wabba said the former President’s death , came as a shock to many Nigerians, especially workers who benefitted directly from his empathy and economic policies aimed at uplifting the downtrodden.
“What was meant to be a routine health check in London, United Kingdom, sadly turned into the demise of a Commander-in-Chief who will long be remembered for standing firmly with the poor and vulnerable,” Wabba stated.
Wabba recalled how shortly after assuming office in 2015, Buhari approved a $2.1 billion bailout package for cash-strapped states to help clear the backlog of unpaid salaries and pension arrears. “He was deeply moved by the hardship faced by workers. He once asked state governors how they managed to sleep at night knowing that their workers were owed salaries,” Wabba recounted.
In 2017, Buhari further demonstrated solidarity with workers by releasing another tranche of bailout funds running into billions of naira to assist states in liquidating outstanding salary and pension obligations. “Regrettably, some unscrupulous governors diverted the funds,” Wabba lamented.
He also praised Buhari’s role in the national minimum wage negotiations. “President Buhari was committed to improving workers’ welfare. During talks on a new minimum wage, he proposed a figure even higher than the N30,000 that was eventually agreed. Unfortunately, the resistance of many state governors prevented a more generous outcome,” he said.
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According to Wabba, Buhari’s most significant pro-poor policy was his steadfast refusal to remove the petrol subsidy, despite immense pressure from international financial institutions. “Despite intense pressure from the IMF and the World Bank, President Buhari stood his ground and refused to increase the price of refined petroleum products beyond the reach of ordinary Nigerians. He chose to stand with the people,” he said.
Wabba noted that history would judge leaders not by their rhetoric but by the impact they make in the lives of the people. “President Buhari made a difference where it mattered most–among workers, pensioners, and the poor,” he added.
Concluding his tribute, Wabba prayed for the peaceful repose of the late President’s soul. “We pray that Allah forgives his shortcomings and grants him Aljannah Firdaus. On behalf of myself and my family, I extend heartfelt condolences to the former First Lady, Mrs. Aisha Buhari, the children, the entire Buhari family, and close associates and friends of the late President.”
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