NLC Polls: Workers Protest In Enugu

The crisis over the Nigeria
Labour Congress, NLC, election continued yesterday as hundreds of unionists took over Enugu streets, demanding for a credible process ahead of the re-scheduled March 12 election.
The workers, who protested under the aegis of South-East/South-South Workers’ Forum, kicked against tenure elongation, marginalisation and disenfranchisement.
The protesters marched across the major streets of Enugu metropolis with placards chanting solidarity songs.
Some of the placards read: “There is no tribalism in labour union; We opposed disenfranchisement of South East delegates in NLC election. We oppose rigging in the NLC election”.
The coordinator of the group, Comrade Christopher Ezike, who addressed journalists, said the labour leaders and workers “are strongly demanding that the provisions of our great Union Constitution and Regulations should be implemented as it is by Comrade Ayubba
Also speaking to newsmen shortly after the protest, the chairman of the group, E. O. Osagie said,” We call on the leadership of the NLC to ensure that there is no intimidation in the rescheduled NLC election.
“We the workers of SouthEast/South-South zones sequel to the intimidation, victimisation, harassment and disenfranchisement suffered by delegates from these zones in the hands of some leaderships of some industrial unions especially Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria and Nigeria Civil Service Union during the inconclusive NLC delegates conference wish to call on the leadership of NLC to ensure that workers vote according to their conscience”.
The group warned that any attempt to repeat the ugly incident of what occurred during the inconclusive election would result to total boycott of the forthcoming NLC election by all delegates from the South East and South-South zones.
“Today, Thursday, is another great day in the history of trade union movement when the South-East and South-South labour leaders and workers are strongly demanding that the provisions of our great union constitution and regulations should be implemented”, he added.
He explained that their agitation and position were drawn from the provisions of our union constitution and regulations as amended in 2007, wondering why the constitution was not binding on some members of the national leadership of the union.