Workers from various trade unions in Lagos State, under the umbrella of Working People United, WoPU, have inaugurated a support group for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid and the 2027 Lagos governorship ambition of Dr Kadri Obafemi Hamzat.
The inauguration, held on Wednesday at the Blue Roof, Lagos Television, Ikeja, brought together thousand of workers from the formal and informal sectors, including members of transport unions, as the group pledged to mobilize grassroots support for the two All Progressives Congress candidates.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria, Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees, and other registered trade unions attended the event.
The workers said their support for Tinubu’s re-election and Hamzat’s governorship bid was driven by what they described as the need to promote good governance and development.
Speaking at the event, Prince Akporeha Williams, National Coordinator-General of WoPU, said he was not surprised by the large turnout, describing it as a demonstration of workers’ support for Tinubu.
Williams said Tinubu had laid a strong foundation for Nigeria’s development and expressed optimism about the country’s future under his continued leadership.
“We commend Mr President for approving a new national minimum wage, reducing the interval for wage reviews, introducing the student loan scheme, supporting small businesses and expanding social investment programmes.
“The future looks very hopeful and very bright. We believe that the second term will brighten up the horizon and everybody will be better for it,” he said.
Williams described WoPU as a national grassroots movement established to give working people a stronger voice in governance and public affairs.
He said the movement was committed to mobilizing workers across Lagos and supporting policies and political leaders capable of delivering good governance.
“We are a movement built on the belief that the strength, stability and prosperity of any nation lie in the unity and productivity of its people. “We are here for two reasons: to advocate good policies and to support good politics.
“Working people should not only demand accountability but also identify and support leaders who have and can deliver good governance,” he said.
Williams said WoPU represented workers across the formal and informal sectors, including artisans, farmers, traders, transporters, professionals and entrepreneurs.
He said the Lagos inauguration would strengthen the movement’s grassroots structures and enable workers to participate more actively in the political process.
“Through this inauguration, we are committing to mobilize working people, promote the Renewed Hope Agenda, encourage civic participation, build grassroots structures and support progressive candidates in Lagos State,” he said.
Williams added that WoPU’s assessment of Tinubu was based on what he described as a careful review of the president’s record and political programmes.
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Prince Billy Gillis-Harry, National Coordinator, Operations, Organization and Programme of WoPU, said the movement comprised workers from different professions and occupations.
“WoPU is a movement of all like minds — professionals, artisans, farmers and all workers. “This is a movement that is going to change how we participate in the development of this country. We don’t just criticize without reason,” he said.
Gillis-Harry, who is also National President of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria, said the movement was committed to contributing to Nigeria’s development.
“Our principle is to change this country for the best. We must do our country the best and make Nigeria the best,” he said.
Mrs Funmi Sessi, Lagos State Coordinator of WoPU, said workers needed to participate actively in politics to influence policies affecting the working class.
Sessi, who is also the Lagos State Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, said the movement was created to mobilize workers in support of Tinubu and Hamzat.
“What we are doing here today is just to support the re-election of President Tinubu and the candidature of the APC governorship candidate, Dr Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, in 2027. “This is the person we have worked with and believe in, just like Tinubu.
“The working class can no longer be passive onlookers. We need to aggressively expand our structure. We will work tirelessly to mobilize. The work starts now. The good work of Tinubu must continue,” she said.
Sessi said WoPU was not operating as a trade union but was bringing together workers from the formal and informal sectors to pursue common interests.
“We are not talking about union now; we are talking about workers, both in the formal and informal sectors, as in this support group,” she said.
She said workers must become active participants in politics to ensure that their interests were reflected in government policies.
“We want to also be in politics so that our voices can also be heard for policies that will bring relief to the working class. We want to participate, organize and mobilize to get this achieved,” she said.
Alhaji Mustapha Adekunle, popularly known as Sego, Chairman of the Lagos State NURTW, said the union supported Tinubu’s re-election because of the administration’s infrastructure development, particularly road construction.
Adekunle, who was represented by his deputy, Alhaji Shittu Ganiyu, said the union appreciated the Federal Government’s infrastructure projects across the country.
“We appreciate our Father for great infrastructural development strides, Coastal Highway, Badagry-Sokoto, NELFUND. Second, no shaking, 2027 is a victory for Tinubu,” he said.
In his goodwill message, Mr Adedamola Kasunmu, Deputy Majority Leader of the Lagos State House of Assembly, applauded the workers for their large turnout.
Kasunmu described the collaboration between the workers and WoPU as a positive initiative capable of contributing to national development. “This is a fantastic idea for progress to make Nigeria work,” he said.
NAN
