The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has sounded the alarm, not from a place of privilege, but from the depths of despair where the true voices of Nigeria are stifled and drowned out by the elite. Joe Ajaero, the President of the NLC, stood before a crowd and bared the grim reality of our nation’s democracy, a hollow shell corrupted by a few who have turned votes into commodities, sold to the highest bidder.

“We have been betrayed,” Ajaero’s voice trembled with raw emotion, “What should be our sacred right to choose has become a grotesque marketplace, where our votes slip through our fingers like sand, auctioned off by those who claim to lead us.” The very essence of democracy has been shrouded in darkness, manipulated by a political class that feeds on our suffering.

The consequences? They are painted in the stark hues of multi-dimensional poverty, with nearly 150 million of us living in despair,our roads crumbling, schools abandoned, hospitals rotting, and fear hanging heavy in the air. “This is not governance,” Ajaero cried out, “It’s a systematic punishment for daring to hold those in power accountable.”

He pleaded with the media, a once-vibrant Fourth Estate, to rise up. “You hold the power to be the voice of the silenced, to pierce through the lies and expose the manipulations of the elite. We need you to unveil the truth of the electoral cycle,pre-election rigging, vote-buying, intimidation, and the judicial games played post-election.”

In defiance, he acknowledged the efforts of the International Press Centre (IPC), the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), and the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP). “This collaboration is not just an initiative; it’s an act of resistance,” he declared. These journalists are not merely reporting,they are dismantling the layers of deceit that suffocate our reality, empowering the masses whose voices have long been silenced.

“The working class is watching you,” Ajaero warned the media. “Only by standing firm with integrity and courage can you begin to rebuild the shattered trust between the people and your profession. Be a mirror reflecting our unvarnished truth, not a curtain draped over our pain.”

With a voice that resonated with his own history as a journalist, Ajaero recounted his journey through darkness. “I’ve walked these treacherous paths, faced the same challenges, and I have seen heroes emerge who dared to speak the truth. Let's ignite that flame of courage as we approach another election cycle.”

The 2027 elections loom like a storm on the horizon, a litmus test for journalists who claim to uphold the tenets of their profession. “The prognosis is grim, but you can be the catalyst for change,” Ajaero urged, “Rebuild the trust of the people, empower us to reclaim our voices, and together, let’s fight for the future of Nigeria.”

This isn’t just a call to action; it’s a struggle for our democracy, for the working people, for the oppressed masses. The NLC stands ready to unite with all forces for change, to retrieve our shattered rights and reclaim our voice in the cacophony of the powerful.

These words are not mere opinions; they are the echoes of a voiceless struggle, a clarion call for justice.