Crisis Rocks Edo NLC As Police Seal Secretariat

By Idahosa Musa

…Igbafe, Eguekhide lay claim to leadership

Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force on Thursday in Benin sealed the Edo State Secretariat of the Nigeria Labour Congress otherwise known as the Adams Oshiomhole Labour House as suspected thugs were seen loitering around the Secretariat.

Also, the Main Gate of the University of Benin (UNIBEN), Ugbowo Campus was beefed up with police personnel, while police armoured personnel carrier was deployed to the State’s NLC Secretariat

The heavy security at the Labour House and the UNIBEN main gate was to halt the inauguration of the Caretaker Committee of the Edo NLC.

It was gathered that NLC leaders had gathered at the UNIBEN ASUU Secretariat, Ugbowo Campus for the inauguration but put it off due to security report.

Following the development, the inauguration, however, held at another venue, in the Edo State capital and Prof. Monday Igbafen, was successfully sworn-in amid cheers.

Peeved by the development police operatives sealed the State Secretariat of the NLC.

Some NLC leaders from neighbouring states, who were scheduled to attend the inauguration, at the Labour House, expressed regret that they could not access the secretariat.

Comrade Augustine Igben from the Maritime Workers Union said he was embarrassed when he was not allowed entry into the Edo Labour House.

“I felt embarrassed about tbe whole thing. How can the police barricade the Labour House when there is no war. It is Labour issue. They should allow Labour settle the issues themselves.

“I was not allowed entry. Where am I going to pass through.There were lots of security. I saw some civilians mixed up with them.”

Meanwhile, the faction loyal to Comrade Bernard Joman Eguekhide of the Edo NLC has rejected the Comrade Joe Ajaero led Caretaker Committee, headed by Prof. Igbafe.

Addressing Journalists at the Adams Oshiomhole Labour House in Benin, the factional acting chairman of the State’s NLC, Comrade Eguekhide said that the NLC president, Joe Ajaero should allow the State chapter to conduct a by-election to fill the vacant positions rather than picking somebody from the ASUU to be the Caretaker Committee Chairman.

“I don’t think any Caretaker Committee is needed at this point in time because I will tell you in the high ranking of unions from number one to number 18 in high ranking of unions in Nigeria they are all in support of our Exco.

“So the persons he brought as a Caretaker Committee Chairman, the ASUU person has never for one day attend our meeting. I wonder who he is going to invite when he has never participated in NLC meetings here before.

“The other unions are all small unions and he went to pick him in order to destabilize the NLC because he told us that if he wants to destabilize the Edo State chapter of the NLC that he can use external forces to destabilize the workforce of Edo state.

“And when he made appointment of those Caretaker Committee with three private sectors and just two from public sector, we knew quite already that he is up for something and that is why the workers of Edo State decided to come back to take our own decision that we remain together as a team and we are not going to accept a Caretaker Committee.

“If you feel that you have anything to be done, I think the best thing for him to do at this junction is for him to just call for a by-election.

“Then let whosoever is interested pick forms and contest an election. Then we will know that the person is duly elected for the office of the chairman and the other vacant positions”, he said.

Comrade Eguekhide accused the National President of NLC of trying to impose Comrade Odion Olaye on them adding that such an act would be resisted as they are old enough to take decision on their own as to who will lead the union in the state.

“We the workers of Edo State we’ve said in so many channels that nobody can force leadership on us.

“Outside political statements, we think Odion Olaye has done more deadly issues in NLC in Edo than even than the one that said Edo will burn.

“And it was based on that the Congress decided to impeach him. My questions like I continue asking people, in NLC constitution is there room for an impeachment?.

“If there is room for an impeachment, Edo workers, the Congress, the SEC of Edo have decided to impeach the said Odion Olaye as the chairman of NLC.

“I don’t understand the reasons why the President of Nigerian Labour Congress still wants to force us to the same person that we’ve all agreed as adults that we don’t want.

“So, today, we are all here in NLC secretariat in our office and this is how we are always here every day, every working day.

“The issue on ground has no interference from any other source just that Comrade Joe Ajaero wants to force the workers of Edo to swallow the bone that we don’t want and that is just the issue that we are dealing