Immediate past President of the Nigeria Labour Congress and International Trade Union Confederation, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, has described the death of former President Muhammadu Buhari as “a monumental loss to Nigerian workers and the masses,” praising him as a genuinely pro-poor leader.
In a heartfelt statement issued on Sunday, Wabba expressed shock at Buhari’s passing, particularly among workers who directly benefited from his empathetic 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 stated.
The labour leader highlighted Buhari’s early intervention in workers’ welfare upon assuming office in 2015, recalling: “He approved a $2.1 billion bailout package for cash-strapped states to help clear the backlog of unpaid salaries and pension arrears. He was deeply moved by the hardship faced by workers. He once asked state governors how they managed to sleep at night knowing that their workers were owed salaries.”
Wabba noted another Naira bailout in 2017 to address salary and pension obligations, though lamenting that “some unscrupulous governors diverted the funds.”
On minimum wage negotiations, Wabba revealed: “President Buhari was committed to improving workers’ welfare. During talks on a new minimum wage, he proposed a figure even higher than the N30,000 that was eventually agreed. Unfortunately, the resistance of many state governors prevented a more generous outcome.”
The former NLC president particularly praised Buhari’s stance on fuel subsidy: “Despite intense pressure from the IMF and the World Bank, President Buhari stood his ground and refused to increase the price of refined petroleum products beyond the reach of ordinary Nigerians. He chose to stand with the people.”
Wabba concluded that “history would judge leaders not by their rhetoric but by the impact they make in the lives of the people,” asserting that “President Buhari made a difference where it mattered most—among workers, pensioners, and the poor.”
His tribute ended with prayers: “We pray that Allah forgives his shortcomings and grants him Aljannah Firdaus. On behalf of myself and my family, I extend heartfelt condolences to the former First Lady, Mrs. Aisha Buhari, the children, the entire Buhari family, and close associates and friends of the late President.”