NLC rejects claim civil servants are barred from politics

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) yesterday has dismissed a statement credited to the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, suggesting that civil servants are prohibited from participating in partisan politics.
In a press release issued on Monday, NLC President, Joe Ajaero, said the claim was inconsistent with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution and a Supreme Court judgment on the matter.
According to the Ajaero, Section 40 of the Constitution guarantees the right of all Nigerians, including civil servants, to freely associate and join political parties. 

He also cited the 2003 Supreme Court ruling in INEC and Attorney General of the Federation vs Musa and Others, which it said upheld the same principle.
“The Constitution is clear: every person has the right to assemble freely and belong to any political party or association. Civil servants are not excluded,” Ajaero stated.
The Congress added that other constitutional provisions, including Sections 66(1), 107(1)(f), 137(1)(g), 142(2), 182, 187(2), and 222, recognized the political rights of civil servants, provided they resign their appointments at least 30 days before elections if contesting as candidates.
Ajaero argued that past practice had shown that civil servants could participate in party politics until formally emerging as candidates, at which point resignation became mandatory.
“The position of the Head of Service is a personal opinion not founded on law,” he said.
The NLC urged workers across the country to continue exercising their civic rights through political participation, while stressing that any attempt to restrict them would amount to undermining democratic principles.