APC has impoverished Nigerians more than any govt

• We’re suffering, pay our pension arrears -pensioners urge FG

The Labour Party (LP) has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government of impoverishing Nigerians more than any government in the nation’s history, describing the level of suffering across the country as intolerable.

Acting National Chairman of the party, Senator Nenadi Esther Usman, who spoke to journalists in Kaduna, said the opposition party was poised to correct what she described as the “grave missteps and failures” of the ruling party.

Senator Usman urged Nigerians to keep faith with the LP, assuring that the party remains committed to offering a credible, people-centred alternative that will restore hope and reclaim the nation’s dignity.

She described the wave of defections from opposition parties, including some from the LP, to the APC, as disheartening, adding that it was not only legally questionable but morally indefensible to ride to power on the platform of a party and defect after victory.

She, however, insisted that the LP remained unshaken by the defections, saying the party draws its strength from the unwavering support of the Nigerian people.

Senator Usman admitted that the party had made some missteps in the past, especially in fielding candidates who did not fully align with the LP’s ideals, but assured that such errors would be corrected ahead of the next general election.

“Many of those who left the party never truly believed in its vision for a new Nigeria. Their exit has only helped to clarify our ranks and strengthen our resolve,” she said.

She appealed to all aggrieved members to sheath their swords and work towards unity as the party prepares for membership revalidation, congresses, and its national convention, all of which, she noted, have been approved by the National Executive Council (NEC).

Meanwhile, many pensioners in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), have expressed frustration over the delay in the payment of pension arrears.

President Bola Tinubu had given approval for the N758 billion Treasury Bond by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) in February for payment of the arrears.

However, the National Assembly has approved the implementation of the N758 billion Treasury bond on July 22.

The bond was to clear all government liabilities under the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) retirees for more than decades.

The pensioners, who lamented over their sufferings, also urged the immediate implementation of the N758 billion Treasury bond to increase their monthly pension in line with the present economic reality.

Hajiya Amina Lawal said even some workers could not afford three meals, adding that it is harder for pensioners.

“We were happy after the announcement by the president that we are going to be paid, but we did not know we will have to wait this long for processing.

“Our hopes were raised and some have died while waiting for the money to be paid.

“We are begging for the immediate implementation, we are too old to be on the streets,” she said.

Mr George Ose said some pensioners have lost their lives in the struggle.

“My family and I are hungry. I can’t pay my children’s school fees. My landlord is on my neck and to top it all, I can’t access the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) anymore.

“If you look into my eyes, you will know that I need urgent medical attention. We the pensioners in this country are suffering. After working hard, if I knew I would suffer like this, I would not have given them the services I gave them,” he said.

Mrs Joy Adewale, who retired with her husband in 2016, said she had been struggling with life.

“We have been struggling to feed with this stipend. l am suffering, my husband is suffering too. What is our offence? We served our nation for 35 years.

“After retirement, I opened a shop to sell soft drinks, but government demolished the shop. Now this amount cannot even feed my family and I, to say the least as well as our medical bills and other things.

“Some of us couldn’t cope with this hardship. Even my neighbour who retired two years ago died two months ago. People look down on us because we are retirees,” she said.

Adewale said when her shop was demolished, she ran to the company that she was selling their products for help, in terms of getting the product on credit to sell and repay, but her appeal was turned down.

“Even my bank refused to grant me a loan to continue the business because l am a retiree.

“No friend again, only God is sustaining me and my family now.

“I am now appealing to this present government to help us pay all our rights now that we are alive.

“I pray that all our colleagues that have fallen, that God will accept their souls. For those of us still alive, I also pray God will help us to reap the fruit of our labour,” she said.

Mrs. Nkiru Offor, who retired in 2019, said her entitlements were paid in 2021 and the payment had been regular, but there was a need to increase it.

“My NHIS that was stopped immediately after my retirement has been a huge challenge, I spend a lot on lab tests and drugs instead of just ten per cent.

“In fact, it is difficult to register for the private NHIS programme with N50,000.

“They are even telling me I have issues with my payment that it has not dropped for the past three months that I registered. So no access to cheap medicals,” she said

Mr Evans Ubah urged the Federal Government to come to their aid, saying: “today I can’t feed myself, see how my face is, its hunger.

“Look at how harsh the economy is because of our leaders. We don’t have anything to live on now, every year they will tell us in the media that pension fund assets have increased, why are pensioners not paid? We have a constitution in the country that every five years salaries will be increased and pensions will increase too.”

Ubah said they need their arrears to start up a small business.