The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has voiced strong concerns over the deteriorating state of democracy in Nigeria, asserting that the electoral process has been compromised by a privileged elite who treat votes as commodities for trade.
During the public presentation of the Report on Electoral Trust and the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing ceremony organized by the International Press Centre (IPC) in Abuja, NLC President Joe Ajaero criticized the political class for betraying the sovereign will of the people. He lamented that what should be a sacred avenue for expressing the people’s mandate has been transformed into a marketplace where votes are auctioned, and democracy is subverted by the powerful.
Ajaero highlighted the consequences of this corruption, pointing to the widespread suffering and deliberate affliction of the people by those in public office. He cited the nearly 150 million multi-dimensionally poor Nigerians, dilapidated infrastructure, impassable roads, abandoned public schools, decayed hospitals, calcified public utilities, and unrestrained insecurity as reflections of this betrayal.
He urged the media to be the voice for the voiceless, publishing the unvarnished truth about the entire election cycle, including pre-election rigging, vote-buying, intimidation, and post-election judicial manipulations. He stressed the importance of resisting propaganda and manipulation orchestrated by the political elite.
Ajaero commended the IPC’s initiative and its collaboration with the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) and the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP), describing it as a vital act of resistance. He challenged journalists to stand on the side of the people, acting as a mirror that reflects reality rather than a curtain that hides it.
The NLC president sees the upcoming 2027 elections as a testing ground for journalists to uphold the principles of their profession. He committed the NLC to partnering with genuine forces to reclaim democracy for the working people and masses of Nigeria.
