TUC warns workers against vote-selling ahead of 2027 elections

The Trade Union Congress (TUC) has warned Nigerian workers against selling their votes as the country prepares for the 2027 general elections.

The labour union urged citizens to place their collective interests above partisan politics and temporary monetary gains.

The TUC President, Festus Osifo, delivered the warning at the 2026 Labour Writers Association of Nigeria (LAWAN) workshop held in Lagos. He was represented at the event by the President of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), Comrade Bosun Olabiyi-Agoro.

Osifo stated that workers have a political responsibility to make informed choices during the transition period. He stated that it is contradictory for voters to facilitate the emergence of bad leaders through corrupt electoral practices and then turn to organised labour for rescue.

Speaking in his capacity as the PENGASSAN President, Olabiyi-Agoro used the platform to call for the reconciliation between the TUC and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC). He urged both labour unions to resolve their lingering differences and establish a united front.

He proposed a formal memorandum of understanding (MoU) to harmonise the positions of both organisations before engaging the Federal Government. 

Olabiyi-Agoro stressed that public division between the unions weakens the collective struggle and bargaining power of Nigerian workers.

The PENGASSAN boss, while addressing the recent internal disagreements over the N70,000 transportation allowance, explained that differing viewpoints between the union should not be interpreted as opposition to workers’ welfare.

He expressed that the NLC and TUC will eventually overcome their current rift. Olabiyi-Agoro stated that both unions must merge into a formidable force to challenge anti-worker policies implemented by the government.