Organised labour in Osun State has warned that President Bola Tinubu may lose the support of workers, pensioners and their families in the 2027 presidential election if the prolonged dispute over local government allocations is not resolved.
The warning came as workers across the state began a three-day sympathy strike in solidarity with local government employees affected by the continued withholding of statutory funds meant for local councils.
The Osun State Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Dr Christopher Arapasopo, announced the position on Monday while speaking with journalists after monitoring compliance with the industrial action.
He was accompanied by the state chairmen of the Joint Negotiating Council (JNC), Olalekan Adediran, and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Abimbola Fasasi.
Arapasopo said organised labour could no longer guarantee workers’ support for Tinubu’s re-election while their welfare and financial security remained under pressure.
“For now, the organised labour in Osun State cannot guarantee the support and votes of workers, pensioners, and our families for the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” he said.
Labour Says Workers’ Welfare Must Come First
The labour leader explained that the continued withholding of local government allocations had contributed to hardship among council employees, pensioners and their dependants.
He acknowledged Governor Ademola Adeleke’s commitment to supporting Tinubu’s re-election but insisted that workers’ welfare should take precedence over political loyalties.
According to the unions, the dispute has affected the ability of local government authorities to meet their financial obligations, including workers’ allowances, cooperative deductions, gratuities and other entitlements.
The unions have maintained that employees should not bear the consequences of the prolonged political and legal disagreement over control of local government councils.
Three-Day Strike Begins Across Osun
The warning coincided with the commencement of a three-day sympathy strike directed by the Osun NLC in support of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE).
The industrial action began at midnight on Sunday, November 8, and is scheduled to end at midnight on Wednesday, November 11, 2026.
The strike followed the expiration of a seven-day ultimatum issued to the Federal Government and the Osun State Government to resolve the dispute.
Reports on Monday indicated that government offices and some local government secretariats in Osogbo were shut, while public school activities were also disrupted as teachers joined the action.
Labour leaders appealed to residents to understand the reasons behind the strike, stressing that the protest was directed at securing workers’ rights rather than deliberately causing hardship for the public.
Unions Demand Release of Funds
Arapasopo said labour’s demands include the release of the withheld local government allocations, protection of workers’ entitlements and restoration of normalcy to local government administration.
He said the unions remained open to genuine dialogue but insisted that lasting industrial peace would require justice and respect for workers’ rights.
The dispute is rooted in a prolonged political and legal battle over local government leadership in Osun State, which has left statutory allocations inaccessible amid disagreements over the recognised council administrations.
The unions are urging the relevant authorities to resolve the impasse and ensure that local government workers are no longer caught in the middle of the dispute.
With the 2027 general elections approaching, labour’s warning presents a potential political challenge for Tinubu, particularly if the concerns of workers and pensioners remain unresolved.
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