Atiku’s opposition to N70,000 transport allowance for civil servants reveals his anti-worker posture – TDF
The Democratic Front (TDF) has condemned former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s stance on the President Bola Tinubu administration’s recent approval of N70,000 as a transportation allowance for federal civil servants for six months.
In a statement by its Chairman, Mallam Danjuma Muhammad and Secretary, Chief Wale Adedayo, the group noted that only an individual who harbours anti-worker sentiments would be critical of an agreement reached with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC)
The statement read in full: “We have sadly observed that the former Vice President has unfortunately allowed his desperate chase for power to rid his conscience of empathy and due consideration for the plight of the average worker.
“At his level of experience in public service and politics, we expect Atiku to know that not everything that a ruling government does should be criticised.
“This is more so when such actions are purely meant to serve the nation’s interest, like the six months transportation allowance which was the outcome of a meeting between representatives of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the federal government.
“We consider it a major failure of insight on the part of the former Vice President and his media handlers to have misconstrued the N70, 000 allowance for civil servants as a political stunt.
“This is especially as it was one of the measures agreed with Organised Labour at a negotiation meeting to mitigate the effects of the cost of living on civil servants as a result of the ongoing Middle East conflict
“It is hypocritical and insensitive of the former Vice President, who is noted for performative rhetoric over the cost of living in Nigeria, to describe the measure as an attempt by government to contain public anger. This is not true.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the agreement with NLC also included an approved peculiar allowance with effect from May 1, 2026, with payment of the arrears expected to begin in November and in three equal monthly instalments.
“In addition, the 19-month outstanding allowances owed to health workers are to be paid within three months from December 2026, while a deal was also struck for a negotiation team for a new minimum wage. Organised labour also forwarded its request for tax relief for statutory review.
“It is unfortunate that Atiku Abubakar, who claims to be a true patriot and a statesman, would openly condemn a timely and crucial intervention that is aimed at bringing succour to federal civil servants.
“In addition to being anti-worker and anti-people in their selfish approach to politics, Atiku and his media handlers have shown the public that they would stop at nothing to disparage every action of government, even when such actions are in the best interests of Nigeria.
“It is even more disheartening that what Atiku is complaining about has been publicly acknowledged by NLC as a good move ahead of the negotiation of a new minimum wage by a team that was set up at the meeting with government representatives.”
The group urged Nigerians to treat the former Vice President and his political party – the ADC as anti-worker and anti-people, by rejecting them at the polls come January 2027.
