Ex-NLC President Wabba Mourns Buhari, Hails Pro-Poor Legacy

By Peterside Rejoice

 Former President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), Comrade Ayuba Wabba, has paid tribute to late President Muhammadu Buhari, describing his death as a significant loss to Nigerian workers and the underprivileged.

Wabba, in a statement issued on Sunday, said Buhari’s passing during a medical trip to London shocked many Nigerians, particularly members of the labour force who benefitted from his worker-friendly economic policies.

“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 said.

He recalled Buhari’s early move in 2015 to approve a $2.1 billion bailout package to help states offset unpaid salaries and pensions. “He was deeply moved by the hardship faced by workers. He once asked state governors how they managed to sleep at night knowing their workers were owed salaries,” Wabba recounted.

In 2017, the administration released another tranche of bailout funds to clear backlogs of entitlements, although some governors allegedly diverted the money, according to Wabba.

The former labour leader also praised Buhari’s commitment during national minimum wage negotiations. “He proposed a higher wage than the ₦30,000 eventually adopted, but resistance from state governors curtailed his efforts,” Wabba stated.

Wabba further emphasized Buhari’s decision to retain petrol subsidy despite mounting pressure from international financial bodies. “He stood his ground against IMF and World Bank calls for subsidy removal, choosing instead to protect the common man,” he said.

Wabba described Buhari as a leader who prioritized the welfare of workers, pensioners, and the poor, urging history to judge him by the lives he impacted.

“President Buhari made a difference where it mattered most. We pray that Allah forgives his shortcomings and grants him Aljannah Firdaus,” he added, offering condolences to the late president’s family and associates.