The Federal Workers Forum (FWF), a coalition representing federal government employees across Nigeria, has issued a powerful and united appeal to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and key national institutions, calling for the immediate withdrawal of court charges against Andrew Emelieze, the group’s National Coordinator.
In an open letter addressed to President Tinubu, and copied to the National Assembly, Judiciary, and a host of national and international bodies, the FWF emphasized that Emelieze acted not as an individual but as the collective voice of the federal workforce, advocating for long-standing demands related to workers’ welfare and economic justice.
“Protesting is not a crime. Comrade Andrew Emelieze merely acted on the collective mandate of federal workers to peacefully demand the payment of wage award arrears, promotion backlogs, and the full implementation of the new national minimum wage,” the letter stated.
According to the Forum, the July 1st, 2025 protest was a consensual decision taken during a widely attended virtual meeting involving workers from across all states of the federation. The demonstration was triggered by worsening economic conditions, unpaid entitlements, and the perceived neglect of federal workers’ plights by the relevant authorities.
The Forum expressed deep concern over the arrest and detention of Emelieze, warning that singling him out amounts to suppressing lawful advocacy and peaceful protest , a core tenet of democratic engagement.
“If you must punish anyone, please punish all of us,” the statement read. “Comrade Emelieze never acted alone; he had our mandate. We are responsible for our collective decision.”
They further noted that even the Office of the Accountant General responded positively to the protest by promising to pay the outstanding five months of wage awards and fast-track the implementation of the national minimum wage.
The group expressed hope that President Tinubu, known for his pro-democracy credentials and past struggle for civil liberties, was unaware of the legal actions being pursued against Emelieze. They urged the President and lawmakers to personally intervene and ensure the charges are dropped immediately.
The Forum also voiced strong opposition to the proposed petrol tax policy expected to roll out in January, describing it as a measure that would further worsen the already harsh economic realities for Nigerian workers and citizens. FWF painted a grim picture of the current living conditions of federal workers, stating that the ₦40,000 wage increase does not reflect the severity of inflation and the impact of subsidy removals on food, fuel, and electricity. The group described the so-called palliatives and wage awards as “buckets of water thrown into the ocean.”
The statement was signed by numerous FWF representatives from states across Nigeria and sent to a wide array of national and international stakeholders, including the National Assembly, the Judiciary, labour unions, religious leaders, civil society groups, and global organisations such as the United Nations, Amnesty International, and the International Labour Organisation (ILO).
FWF reaffirmed their loyalty to Nigeria and commitment to service, urging President Tinubu to show compassion, uphold democratic values, and recognise the peaceful demands of its workforce.
