NLC President Wants Labour Leaders To Unite

The newly elected Presi
dent of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Ayuba Wabba  has called for unity amongst  the various labour leaders in the country.
In a statement  issued shortly after his election during the rescheduled delegates  conference election of the  congress in Abuja  recently, Comrade  Ayuba  Wabba said  collective efforts are required  to move the labour  organisation  forward  with the commitment  of protecting the workers  and downtrodden  against obnoxious policies of government.
Wabba assured  Nigerians that  despite  the challenges associated with the conduct of the NLC’s elections, the congress would  remain one  indivisible  family.
He said  his leadership  of the Labour organisation would use what he described as direct  and indirect means to resolve any disagreement  arising from  the just concluded election emphasising that the  congress is bigger  than any individual  or group.
The NLC boss said the direct and indirect approach  to be  adopted by his leadership  was an envisaged approach of meeting the aggrieved  parties to reconcile,  stressing that his leadership  will try  and meet the aggrieved parties individually  and collectively  to see  reasons beyond personal  interest  and to  look at the organisation as the ultimate.
He explained that such situations had occurred in the past but Labour leaders were able to  resolve  the situations amicably  and urged the aggrieved parties to give peace a chance for the unity of the congress, stressing that he has already extended a hand of fellowship to everybody  and is  looking  ahead to see how the issues  arising  from the conduct of the election can be resolved.
Wabba said before  the  elections were to  proceed, the veterans  intervened  to look at preliminary issues  that contestants raised  and the issues  were  addressed, adding that a decision was also  made  that whatever  the outcome, everybody  is going to abide by it.
He said the congress has  time- tested procedures in resolving  conflicts and disputes, stressing that issues will be approached with an open mind so that the congress can move  forward.
He said that as far as he and his supporters  were concerned  the only organ that can  convene  a delegates conference in accordance with the constitutional   provisions  of the congress is the National Executive Council (NEC), stressing  that the  organ has  convened a conference, a National Returning Officer was appointed, elections conducted  and  the results were  declared in public.
Wabba  said  everything about the  election is on record  and urged  the aggrieved parties  to accept  the outcome of the elections,  stressing that the first president of NLC was the person that administered the  oath of office  on the elected NLC officers in accordance with constitutional provisions and a clear indication that the processes  were flawless and  credible.
He  said “we don’t  believe there will be two leaderships because our  belief is that we should be  able  to unite and look at the  issues  that affect the workers and not  personal interests “.
The NLC President  further stated that although there have been a lot of  challenges  the process of his election was credible  that all can attest to but the most important  thing is  how to address the mounting  challenges facing the workers because the  welfare  and interest of workers  should  be paramount above  parochial interest.

Philip Okparaji