Nigeria
Labour Congress, NLC, yesterday debunked speculations making
the rounds on pending appointment of a sole administrator for the
congress by the Federal Government.
This development is coming on the heels of disruption of the election
of a new executive to lead the organisation for the next four years at
the delegates’ national conference in Abuja.
Indications are, however, emerging that the congress may move to sanction some of its affiliates unions involved in the last week fracas.
They are the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG and the National Union of Electricity Employees, NUEE.
NLC General Secretary, Dr. Peter Oso Ezon, told National Mirror yesterday that the congress could solely deal with its challenges, stressing that the speculation that a sole administrator would be appointed by the Federal Government was not true.
The NLC secretary said the congress would meet this week to iron out the differences and grievances.
NUEE General Secretary, Mr. Joe Ajaero; NUPENG President, Mr. Igwe Achese; and the Chairman, Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria, MHWUN, Mr. Wabba Ayuba, had signified their intention to contest for the presidency of the congress.
Wabba, according to some NLC sources, was considered the most likely to clinch the seat as he allegedly had the backing of the NLC leadership and that of many of the unions.
However, the NLC general secretary explained that the congress had convened a meeting of its National Administrative Council, NAC, and that it was also expected to summon a meeting of its National Executive Committee, NEC, on the incident.
National Mirror gathered that the NEC was likely to consider the suspension of the two unions, NUEE and NUPENG, from the NLC over the conduct of their delegates.
According to Wabba, NUPENG and NUEE were represented on the credentials’ committee that screened the candidates while his own union was not represented.
“My union is the only union that was not a member and we did not raise any complaint. If there is anything that led to the disruption, I think that those unions should be held responsible,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Labour Party, LP, has expressed concern over crisis that marred the 11th national delegates’ conference organised by the union to elect new set of officers.
As one of its critical stakeholders, LP, said it was ready to assist NLC to ensure that the delegates’ conference was properly organised without rancour.
In a statement on Sunday by the LP National Publicity Secretary, Ebere Ifendu, the party said it watched with dismay and utter embarrassment on the inability and failure of Umar Abdulwaheed and Peter Eseozor to conduct a peaceful delegate’s conference.
It said the crisis that trailed the central labour movement election was bad omen, especially as the incident came at a time the country was about to go for national elections.
“We are more worried particularly when this election is precursor to the general election. The NLC should be an exemplary organisation that would champion good leadership and defend democratic process, ” she said.
The delegates’ conference was organised by the NLC to elect new officers to replace the executive led by outgoing president, Abdulwahed Omar.
But the conference ended in fracas and pandemonium mid-way during voting with some aggrieved delegates smashing ballot boxes and tearing the ballot papers.
One of the reasons given by the aggrieved delegates was that the election was being done to favour one of the contestants and resorted to smashing the ballot boxes and throwing out the ballot papers.
As a result the conference, which took place at the International Conference Centre in Abuja last week Monday, was suspended without elections being concluded.
However, Ifendu said the fact that the conference was marred with allegations of electoral fraud and physical fracas was a source of embarrassment to the labour movement and its allies.
“We urge NLC to put its house in order, while we offer our structure and service to assist them to conduct a free, fair and credible election,” she said.
Labour Congress, NLC, yesterday debunked speculations making
the rounds on pending appointment of a sole administrator for the
congress by the Federal Government.
This development is coming on the heels of disruption of the election
of a new executive to lead the organisation for the next four years at
the delegates’ national conference in Abuja.Indications are, however, emerging that the congress may move to sanction some of its affiliates unions involved in the last week fracas.
They are the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG and the National Union of Electricity Employees, NUEE.
NLC General Secretary, Dr. Peter Oso Ezon, told National Mirror yesterday that the congress could solely deal with its challenges, stressing that the speculation that a sole administrator would be appointed by the Federal Government was not true.
The NLC secretary said the congress would meet this week to iron out the differences and grievances.
NUEE General Secretary, Mr. Joe Ajaero; NUPENG President, Mr. Igwe Achese; and the Chairman, Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria, MHWUN, Mr. Wabba Ayuba, had signified their intention to contest for the presidency of the congress.
Wabba, according to some NLC sources, was considered the most likely to clinch the seat as he allegedly had the backing of the NLC leadership and that of many of the unions.
However, the NLC general secretary explained that the congress had convened a meeting of its National Administrative Council, NAC, and that it was also expected to summon a meeting of its National Executive Committee, NEC, on the incident.
National Mirror gathered that the NEC was likely to consider the suspension of the two unions, NUEE and NUPENG, from the NLC over the conduct of their delegates.
According to Wabba, NUPENG and NUEE were represented on the credentials’ committee that screened the candidates while his own union was not represented.
“My union is the only union that was not a member and we did not raise any complaint. If there is anything that led to the disruption, I think that those unions should be held responsible,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Labour Party, LP, has expressed concern over crisis that marred the 11th national delegates’ conference organised by the union to elect new set of officers.
As one of its critical stakeholders, LP, said it was ready to assist NLC to ensure that the delegates’ conference was properly organised without rancour.
In a statement on Sunday by the LP National Publicity Secretary, Ebere Ifendu, the party said it watched with dismay and utter embarrassment on the inability and failure of Umar Abdulwaheed and Peter Eseozor to conduct a peaceful delegate’s conference.
It said the crisis that trailed the central labour movement election was bad omen, especially as the incident came at a time the country was about to go for national elections.
“We are more worried particularly when this election is precursor to the general election. The NLC should be an exemplary organisation that would champion good leadership and defend democratic process, ” she said.
The delegates’ conference was organised by the NLC to elect new officers to replace the executive led by outgoing president, Abdulwahed Omar.
But the conference ended in fracas and pandemonium mid-way during voting with some aggrieved delegates smashing ballot boxes and tearing the ballot papers.
One of the reasons given by the aggrieved delegates was that the election was being done to favour one of the contestants and resorted to smashing the ballot boxes and throwing out the ballot papers.
As a result the conference, which took place at the International Conference Centre in Abuja last week Monday, was suspended without elections being concluded.
However, Ifendu said the fact that the conference was marred with allegations of electoral fraud and physical fracas was a source of embarrassment to the labour movement and its allies.
“We urge NLC to put its house in order, while we offer our structure and service to assist them to conduct a free, fair and credible election,” she said.
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