Crisis Brews In NLC Over Omar’s Successor

Crisis is brewing in the
Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) over which sector, private or public sector to produce the next president of the Congress in the congress forthcoming delegates’ elections in February.
The Tide was reliably informed that the NLC’s Conference Credential Committee (CCC) for the National Delegates Conference has cleared three contestants to contest the position of NLC President which include Comrade Joseph Ajaero of the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE), Comrade Igwe Achese, of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and Comrade Wabba Ayuba of the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN).
The private sector unions are accusing the public sector union of betrayal of the usual understanding in fielding candidates for NLC President instead of leaving it for the private sector unions.
The private sector unions, The Tide was reliably told had argued that under normal circumstances the out-going NLC President Comrade Abdulwaheed Omar came from the public sector and as president would handover to somebody from the private sector.
The private sector cited the fact that the former NLC President and now Governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole was elected from the private sector and was succeeded by Comrade Abdulwaheed Omar  from the public sector.
They said when Oshiomhole was leaving Abdulwaheed Omar from the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) contested with Comrade Fidelis  Edeh of the Nigeria Civil Service Union (NCSU), stressing that it was not that the private sector had no qualified candidate to field, but because it was the norm.
Some leaders of the private sector unions are therefore threatening that the private sector unions would not accept such alleged plot to hand over the NLC presidency to another member of the public sector union, warning that such move would weaken NLC unity.
However, The Tide source said the NLC  Secretary General, Comrade Peter Ozo-Esor, has debunked any alleged division within the congress.
He said the congress acts as one unlike many other organisation emphasizing that the congress never considered whether one is from South, East, West or North as there is no cleavage within the congress.
The Tide was further told that the public sector had insinuated that a private sector NLC President would be difficult for government to control.
The Tide findings indicate that the only private sector in the race for NLC President is Comrade Igwe Achese of NUPENG as Comrade Joseph Ajaero of NUEE is now considered between public and private sector following  government privatisation of PHCN PLc.

Philip Okparaji