UNITED FEDERAL WORKERS OF NIGERIA (UFWN)
Press Release
7th of July, 2025
ESAU’S HAND BUT JACOB’S VOICE: THE MASQUERADES ARE AFORE – FEDERAL WORKERS, BEWARE!
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The United Federal Workers of Nigeria (UFWN), the umbrella body of all federal public sector workers and the recognised ombudsman standing guard over the welfare, dignity and interests of civil servants in Nigeria, wishes to unequivocally condemn the recent activities and pronouncements of the so-called Federal Workers’ Forum led by one Mr. Emelieze. Trying to take credit for the efforts of our union leaders in the federal Civil service is part of a grand design to portray our union leaders as ineffective thus destabilize our Unions.
We state categorically that the actions of this group are fraudulent, distracting, and truly not in the best interest of federal workers. Mr. Emelieze’s attempt to mislead public opinion amounts to nothing more than a cheap, self-serving quest for popularity by riding on the back of the legitimate struggles and sacrifices of genuine federal workers and their registered unions.
Let it be clearly known; all the issues being paraded by this forum— and many more beyond their shallow agenda— are already on the front burner of engagements between our unions and the government. Our unions have been holding discussions, submitting memoranda, and pressing demands within the appropriate institutional frameworks. This is why we see the activities of this so-called forum as a calculated and deliberate attempt to usurp the powers and credibility of the duly constituted unions mandated by workers to represent them.
We do not deny that our unions have their shortcomings. Indeed, in some cases, they may not have delivered the best outcomes we all desire. However, they remain our chosen platforms for collective bargaining, and they are making sustained efforts to push forward the demands and welfare of federal workers. We will continue mobilizing our members to support the work the Unions are doing while putting pressures on them to deliver on our key objectives rather than seeking to weaken them.
We are therefore not hesitant in declaring Mr. Emelieze for what he is: an agent provocateur, unleashed by the enemies of workers to muddle the waters, sow confusion, and weaken the unions so that our real opponents can continue exploiting and undermining federal workers without resistance.
Let no one be deceived; Emelieze is not a federal worker, nor does he work for any registered union in the public sector. He is simply an impostor—a wolf in sheep’s clothing—whose antics are calculated to fracture the solidarity of workers and corner any benefits or media attention for himself.
We hereby advise all our members and fellow workers across Ministries, Departments and Agencies to be extremely wary of these characters who pretend to be fighting for our interests while in fact working to undermine them. They are not accountable to you, have no mandate from you, and are not part of our collective struggle.
We call on members of the public and stakeholders to disregard the activities, press statements, and grandstanding of Mr. Emelieze and his band of opportunists. Let us instead focus on strengthening the current efforts of our public sector unions to improve their responsiveness, deepen accountability, and deliver better results for all federal workers.
It is only through unity and disciplined engagement that we can collectively confront the injustices and exploitation we face—not by following self-appointed pretended-messiahs whose only real agenda is to weaken our movement and make us more vulnerable to our real adversaries.
An injury to one is an injury to all. Together, we shall protect our dignity, defend our interests, and build the power of federal workers to demand and secure a better deal. We reject every attempt by those exploiting us to divide us, weaken us and keep us in perpetual servitude!
Comrade Ibrahim Tsav
Convener
