On Workers’ Day, Friday 1 May, 2026, Peter Obi, former Governor of Anambra State, extends his “warm salute” to Nigerians workers, whose sacrifices on daily basis continue to “sustain our families and national economy”, even with “severe” hardship.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) member is of the belief that “workers are the backbone of every nation”.
In his Workers’ Day message on X, Obi wrote: “On this Workers’ Day, I warmly salute workers across the world, especially Nigerian workers whose daily sacrifices continue to sustain our families, communities, institutions, and national economy, even in the face of severe hardship and uncertainty.”
The 2023 Labour Party (LP) Presidential candidate cried, in Nigeria currently, the minimum wage can no longer assure “even the most modest standard of living”. He described it as “deep pain” for Nigerians to wake up every day to “teach, build and serve”, only to be denied “the dignity and fair reward their labour deserves”.
For any society to develop, “its human capital”, as well as, workers’ commitment must be of quality, he said.
Obi wrote: “It is deeply painful that those who wake up every day to teach, heal, build, farm, produce, transport, protect, and serve our nation are still denied the dignity and fair reward their labour deserves.
“In today’s Nigeria, the minimum wage can no longer guarantee even the most modest standard of living, as inflation, rising food prices, transportation costs, and economic hardship continue to erode the value of honest work.
“No nation can truly develop beyond the strength, productivity, and wellbeing of its workforce. The progress of any society rests on the quality of its human capital, the skill of its people, and the commitment of its workers. When workers suffer, the nation suffers. When workers are empowered, the nation prospers.”
He encouraged Nigerians workers to appreciate their collective strength; and demand leadership established on “competence and credibility”.
Also, Obi called on Nigerians to not allow themselves “reward corruption and ethnic division”, and by so doing, a Nigeria where hard work is rewarded can be built.
Obi further wrote: “I therefore urge Nigerian workers to recognise the strength they hold collectively. They owe it to themselves, their children, and future generations to support and demand leadership built on competence, character, capacity, credibility, and compassion.
“By refusing to reward failure, corruption, ethnic division, and bad governance, they can help build a nation where hard work is respected and rewarded with dignity.”
Workers’ Day
International Workers’ Day or Labour Day is a formal public holiday in many countries which takes place on 1 May every year.
It is a celebration of Labourers and the working classes promotes by the International Labour Movement.
The Day commemorates the 1886 Haymarket affair in Chicago, when there was a general strike for the eight-hour workday. Some countries observe holiday at or around this date
