The Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) has urged its members to obtain their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) ahead of the 2027 general elections and use their votes to remove underperforming leaders.
The call was made by the union’s South-West Public Relations Officer, Olusegun Abatan, during a zonal meeting held in Abeokuta, Ogun State, on Wednesday.
Abatan stressed that PVCs remain the most effective tool for holding leaders accountable, noting that they provide citizens the power to vote out governors who fail to prioritise the welfare of the people and to elect credible leaders with integrity.
He also decried the current economic hardship in the country, attributing it to poor leadership and describing those in power as the “worst” set of leaders.
He said, “As I speak, the rate of inflation has skyrocketed as a result of increase in energy, that is, increase in petrol and diesel, to the effect that many people are finding it more difficult to have means of livelihood.
“Before the Iranian war, Nigerians were suffering. There is nothing we can put on the table that Nigerians are enjoying from this government. It has now been exacerbated by the war between Israel and Iran.”
The PRO opined that unlike in other countries, the Nigeria government is yet to do anything to alleviate the hardship on its citizens.
“Many countries of the world are finding ways of alleviating the suffering of their citizens. Some even have started subsidizing how workers should go to work and the rest. As we speak, it is quite unfortunate that the Nigerian government has not woken up to what should be done for the citizens of this country.
“Should the government continue to look on as we suffer and go down the drain? The answer lies between us and the government. Ladies and gentlemen, it is saddening to inform you that the governments in the South-West, some governments in the South-West, have not been up to estimating the humongous gratuities of our members, to the effect that some of our members are still being owed gratuities from year 2011 to date. Year 2011 to date is 15 years.
“The money that should have been collected in 2011, even if it was N10,000 in 2011, it is no more worthwhile in 2026 and is quite unfortunate that these governments or governors go about as if nothing is happening.
“It is quite unfortunate that throughout the federation that the worst of us are ruling the best of us, because if we have got the best of us ruling the best of us, life will have been better and more meaningful to the citizens of this country.
“To pensioners and even to citizens of this country, the season of election is here. I want to advise, particularly our pensioners, that have not gotten their voter’s card, to go and do it because, this is what you can use to send away the governors that are not taking care of you, particularly those governors that want to do a second term. And for those that are coming, let us shine our eyes. Let us know their antecedents,” Abatan said.
Also speaking, the Chairman, NUP South-West Zone, Waidi Oloyede, disclosed that the major problem of pensioners was the unfulfilled approval of the Consequential Adjustments of Pensions in line with the 2019 Federal Government circular on consequential adjustments of pensions.