Workers remain the most powerful unarmed force in any democracy, and their unity can never be defeated. That was the central message from the Chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools (ASUSS), Kogi State chapter, Comrade Sunday Emeje, during a workplace security sensitization tour of Idah and Ibaji Local Government Areas on Tuesday.
Speaking to workers across the two council areas, Comrade Emeje said the strength of the labour movement lies not in weapons but in solidarity, discipline and purpose. He urged local government workers to see themselves as key drivers of governance and to embrace the outreach — initiated by the Special Adviser on Labour — as an opportunity to spread awareness of the achievements of the Ododo administration, particularly in the area of workers’ welfare.
He described the Special Adviser, Comrade Onuh Edoka, as a visionary leader who understands the critical role of the workforce in governance, adding that this vision must translate into electoral victory for Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo and President Bola Tinubu in 2027.
“Workers play essential roles in every election,” Comrade Emeje said. “We must use our numbers, our voice and our organization to protect a government that has recognized us.”
He commended Governor Ododo for approving the sensitization programme, describing it as proof that the administration values the workforce and understands that a motivated worker is a productive worker.
The message resonated across both council areas. In Idah, the ASUSS Chairman, Comrade Joseph Ocheja, and in Ibaji, the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) Chairman, Comrade Iboyi Sunday Philip, both praised the Governor’s leadership style and outlined interventions that have directly benefited teachers and local government employees. They passed a vote of confidence in Governor Ododo and pledged that workers in their respective domains would work to secure his re-election alongside President Tinubu.
Local government officials also endorsed the initiative. The Chairman of Idah Local Government, Hon. Alfa Halilu, and the Director of Personnel Management in Ibaji, Comrade Inekwe Enejo — who represented the Ibaji Council Chairman — said the sensitization exercise had made grassroots mobilization easier ahead of the coming elections.
Both officials commended Comrade Edoka for his sincerity and consistency in service, describing him as a credible labour leader who has remained true to the cause of workers. They added that, given Governor Ododo’s performance, their people have no reason to look elsewhere.
Leading the delegation, Comrade Onuh Edoka used the forum to share practical security tips for the workplace and the wider community. He stressed that security is not only about guns and patrols, but also about vigilance, information sharing and protecting one’s livelihood.
The Special Adviser specifically charged workers to take their job security seriously by ensuring the continuity of the Ododo and Tinubu administrations, which he said have taken deliberate steps to lift workers out of poverty. He noted that several demands tabled by labour are already receiving government attention and urged workers to prepare for a “thank you visit” to the Governor as a show of appreciation for his pro-worker policies.
The Idah and Ibaji outreach is part of a broader campaign by the Office of the Special Adviser on Labour to deepen engagement with workers across Kogi State, strengthen workplace safety consciousness, and consolidate support for the current administration.
