The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has threatened to
mobilise its members and supporters for street protests in solidarity with
thousands of indigenous contractors and pensioners owed billions of naira by
the federal government.
In a statement on Sunday, Bolaji Abdullahi, spokesperson for
the party, criticised the federal government for being “insensitive” to the
welfare of the contractors and pensioners.
The contractors, under the aegis of the Association of
Indigenous Contractors of Nigeria (AICON), have staged protests at the ministry
of finance, carrying symbolic coffins to demand immediate payment of over N500
billion in certified debts for completed federal projects spanning several
years.
In a separate development, pensioners from the Federal Radio
Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) and other parastatals have fixed Monday, December
8, for a nationwide “naked protest” over the non-implementation of the minimum
pension and monthly palliative approved by the federal government since 2023.
“No serious government allows things to deteriorate to the
point where citizens must resort to coffins and naked protests before they are
taken seriously,” Abdullahi wrote.
“But this only further confirms that the APC government is
insensitive and does not care about the damage that their actions or inactions
do to the country’s image, and more importantly, to the livelihood of ordinary
citizens.”
The statement pointed out the irony of the government
repeatedly boasting of “meeting and surpassing revenue targets” while
legitimate contractors are owed huge sums.
“You cannot claim revenue excellence while ordinary
Nigerians are drowning in unpaid debts. Something is not adding up,” the party
added.
The ADC also accused the government of shifting focus to the
politics of 2027, citing reports of procurement of campaign vehicles and
mobilisation of coordinators while critical obligations to citizens remain
unmet.
“And, instead of addressing this crisis, the APC-led
government is busy distributing campaign vehicles, mobilising coordinators, and
building structures for 2027,” Abdullahi said.
“A government that cannot pay its own contractors and cannot
honour its obligations to pensioners has absolutely no moral right to be
campaigning for another term.
“We have taken note of the untold suffering and humiliation
that both the contractors and the pensioners have had to endure. This has to
end now.
“The ADC is therefore prepared to march in solidarity with
them if the government refuses to act immediately to address their plight.”
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