Pensioners threaten to vote out Jonathan in 2015

The Nigerian Union of Pensioners on Monday threatened to mobilise about five million pensioners nationwide to vote out President Goodluck Jonathan and some state governors in the 2015 eleections.

The pensioners said they would not relent in the mission except their grievances were addressed.

They spoke at a press briefing in Enugu.

National President of NUP, Abel Afolayan, listed the grievances of the pensioners to include outstanding arrears of pensions and gratuities due to federal and state pensioners.

Others include outstanding 33 percent pension increase and its arrears as well as the non-challant attitude towards pensioners’ welfare by many state governments.

Afolayan said, “Pensioners have observed that our problems across the country have been ignored by the concerned government agencies and functionaries contrary to the directive of President Goodluck Jonathan to the Presidential Task Force on pension grievances.

“As a result of this, we will mobilise our multi-million members across the country to deliberate seriously how to vote during the 2015 presidential election and at the same time reflect deeply on which governorship candidates to vote for in all the states of the federation.”

The NUP boss, who was represented at the press briefing by the National Vice President, South-East Zone, Mr. Emeka Onwumere, warned that if their efforts failed, they would be left with no option than to involve the Nigerian Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress.

He said that with the involvement of the two unions, workers who were praying to be pensioners would join them in a nationwide protest, which might come up in future.