Working People United (WoPU), a grassroots civic and political movement, has inaugurated its Lagos State chapter and announced plans to mobilize workers and other Nigerians ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The group also endorsed President Bola Tinubu for a second term and Lagos State Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat for governor.
The inauguration was held in Lagos, where the National President of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN), Billy Gillis-Harry, urged working Nigerians to play a more active role in shaping the country’s political and economic direction.
Gillis-Harry said workers should go beyond demanding accountability from government and participate actively in decisions and leadership that affect the country.
“Without working people, there is really no progress that can be made,” he said, urging members to embrace responsible citizenship and support policies and leaders they believe can advance national development.
WoPU’s National Coordinator-General, Williams Akporeha, said the group’s endorsement of Tinubu followed its assessment of the administration’s policies since May 2023.
He cited the new national minimum wage, the reduction of the wage review cycle from five years to three, the student loan scheme, support for small businesses, and social investment programs among the reasons for the endorsement.
Akporeha urged members of the Lagos chapter to take the group’s message to wards, polling units, and communities and participate actively in the electoral process.
He said WoPU would build structures across Lagos’ local government areas and wards while mobilizing workers in both the formal and informal sectors.
The movement was launched nationally in March 2026 and has since established chapters in several states, including Delta and Kano, as part of its stated goal of increasing workers’ participation in politics.
WoPU had also publicly endorsed Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid before the Lagos inauguration.
The Lagos launch brought together workers from different unions and sectors, including transport, local government, nursing, welding, and farming, according to reports.
Also speaking, Lagos State House of Assembly Deputy Majority Leader, Adedamola Kasumu, called for unity and peaceful political engagement ahead of the 2027 elections.
