The national chairman of the Labour Party, Julius Abure, on Tuesday urged the federal government to expedite action against challenges slowing down the nation’s progress.

Mr Abure made this call in a statement to commemorate Nigeria’s 64th Independence Anniversary.

“Since Nigeria gained independence from British rule on October 1, 1960, the nation has made significant progress, but the current challenges are threatening to undermine its development,” Mr Abure said.

He said the time had come for Nigerians to join hands and fight against election malpractices, poverty, insurgency, and corruption.

“Bad roads, poor hospitals and other infrastructure hinder economic development and access to basic services,” said Mr Abure, who urged governments at all levels to ensure that education was affordable to every Nigerian.

“The cost of education and transportation has skyrocketed, making it difficult for ordinary Nigerians to access these essential services. Corruption and impunity have become entrenched in the nation’s governance structure.

“Poor judiciary system and corrupt electioneering processes: The judiciary’s integrity has been compromised over time, undermining trust in the electoral process,” he said.

He urged politicians to shun actions inimical to the nation’s socio-economic development and take people-oriented decisions and actions.

Mr Abure said the Labour Party remained committed to strengthening the nation’s democracy through free and fair elections.

He, therefore, urged Nigerians to unite against the nation’s challenges.

The party chairman commended President Bola Tinubu for acknowledging the nation’s challenges in his Independence Day address and urged him to urgently fix them.

(NAN)