CSO Backs NLC’s Role in Democracy Amid Natasha–Senate Dispute

A civil society group, Gatekeepers of Democracy (GOD), has defended the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) over its involvement in the political tensions between Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan and the Senate leadership.

In a statement signed by its National Convener, Umar Kaltungo, the group insisted that the NLC has every right to weigh in on political matters, especially when they affect workers and the wider national interest.

“The struggle for democracy is also a workers’ struggle. You cannot reclaim economic rights without first safeguarding political rights,” the statement read.

GOD warned that restricting labour advocacy to only industrial disputes would silence workers’ voices in governance and weaken democratic participation.

Kaltungo stressed that suspending elected representatives carries wider implications for accountability and economic justice, recalling labour’s historic role in championing democratic reforms.

He praised the NLC for recent interventions on pension reforms and workers’ welfare, urging it to remain resolute in protecting both democratic values and economic rights.

“The Nigerian people know those who stand with them in their struggles. We urge the NLC to continue speaking up for a living wage in the workplace and for a living democracy in national governance,” Kaltungo stated.

The statement comes as tensions deepen between the NLC and Senate leadership over the controversy involving Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan of Kogi Central, with civil society organisations pledging to remain vigilant in safeguarding Nigeria’s democratic institutions.