Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has criticised the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over the delayed payment of wage awards to federal workers and the detention of a labour rights advocate who sought to protest the non-payment.
In a strongly worded statement issued on Sunday, Atiku condemned what he described as the government’s failure to honour its own promises to cushion the economic hardship resulting from the removal of fuel subsidy.
“When President Bola Ahmed Tinubu hastily and thoughtlessly removed fuel subsidy on the day of his inauguration, he triggered an economic avalanche that has since buried the average Nigerian under the weight of inflation, hunger, and despair,” Atiku stated.
He recalled that the Tinubu administration had pledged a ₦35,000 temporary wage award to federal civil servants pending negotiations for a new national minimum wage. However, ten months later, the government has only paid six months out of the total owed, leaving a backlog of four months.
“The implication is that the Federal Government owes ten months of wage award arrears to federal workers. Yet, only six months have been paid and that too after a series of unfulfilled assurances and avoidable delays,” Atiku said, noting that the outstanding four months amounts to ₦140,000 per worker.
The former Vice President expressed deep concern over what he termed “the government’s callous indifference and utter disdain for workers’ welfare,” pointing out that some state governments have demonstrated more commitment and responsibility than the federal authorities.
Atiku also condemned the arrest of labour activist Andrew Emelieze, who was reportedly detained for planning a peaceful protest to demand payment of the outstanding allowances. He described the detention as a dangerous sign of growing authoritarianism.
“Instead of engaging in dialogue or fulfilling its promises, the government has now resorted to tyranny and suppression of free speech. His only ‘crime’ was speaking up for workers abandoned by the state,” Atiku said.
He called for the immediate and unconditional release of Emelieze, describing his continued detention as “an affront to democracy, a slap in the face of every Nigerian worker, and a chilling reminder of the authoritarian drift of the Tinubu administration.”
Atiku concluded by urging the government to take urgent steps to alleviate the economic hardship faced by Nigerians, stressing that repression and silence would not solve the problem.
“The economic hardship is real, the hunger is biting, and the government has a duty to act, not repress,” he added.
The statement adds to growing concerns over worsening living conditions in Nigeria and the rising tension between the government and the labour movement over unmet promises and perceived heavy-handedness.
